Chasing Peace
by Rose of the West
Summary: It's over a year after the war and things are back to normal. Death Eaters and their sympathizers still cause trouble and Severus Snape and his wife work with others to establish a more peaceful world. AU in that Snape lives, M for adult implications.
1. A New Ability

Disclaimer: JKR created all of the the characters and situation except for one major OC and a few minor ones. Snape's survival of the war is my only major AU plot twist.

A/N: This is a continuation of my story "A Year Between" and the first passage below is a flashback from that story. I don't think it's necessary to read the whole other story in order to understand this, but it couldn't hurt! Please feel free to review!

_They arrived in twilight in a dingy mill sort of town._

"_This is the best time of day, here, when you can't really see the dreariness of it." Severus sighed, walking her up a hill and onto a cobbled street. "Welcome, my dear, to Spinner's End...my childhood, and occasionally my adult, home."_

_He brought her into the house, stopping in the library, where he started a fire in the fireplace._

"_What a wealth of books!" Barbara exclaimed. She curled up in the chair closest to the fire. He sat across from her and looked into the fire._

"_This is where I promised Narcissa Malfoy that I would help her son kill Albus Dumbledore and where I promised that failing all else, I would do it myself, while Bellatrix Lestrange watched and acted as Bonder to an Unbreakable Vow. Peter Pettigrew was probably listening at a keyhole somewhere. Believe it or not, it still the nicest room in the house._

"_I sit here and all of the worst things about my life come crashing back down upon me. I look at you and it's as if they never existed." There was something sarcastic in the way he was speaking and yet something else plaintive as well. Barbara wasn't sure where any of this came from nor where it was going._

"_Would you like to live here? To raise our little one here?"_

"_You would, if I asked you, wouldn't you?" Definitely sarcasm._

"_I'm sure we could make this our home and fill it with our love and happiness."_

"_It would be a challenge. As far as I remember, it's known precious little of either quality." There was something in his eyes as they looked into the fire that made her heart break for him._

_He turned to his wife. "I've been talking to Kingsley...he's told me about Alice and Howard Prewett... You remember from our wedding? They're Slytherin and their parents were killed by Death Eaters who questioned their loyalties. They're in your club, of course you know them. I knew their parents, naturally, although they never did join the Death Eaters...What if we started with them?"_

"_They are wonderful children, but isn't that the cart before the horse?"_

"_No, actually, an owl came this morning. It looks like our offer is going to go through and we can move into the house in a couple of weeks."_

"_You mean the one in Hogsmeade?"_

"_Yes." He was smiling now, but the smile didn't go all the way up to his eyes._

"_What about this house?"_

"_I think I'll keep it a little longer, but it is not really a home to me."_

_They sat in silence for a while. Barbara waited, trying to read the expression on her husband's face, but he was inscrutable. She had never in the year of their acquaintance seen him behave this way, so distant, so closed off. Finally he stood and put out the fire._

"_Let's go home."_

_Barbara stood and put her hand on his arm. "What is it?"_

"_Just visiting the past." He pulled her close and buried his face in her shoulder. "The present is far preferable, and what will the future bring?" He took her hand and they left the house._

* * *

It was a warm night, a few weeks after midsummer, when two men came out of a pub looking as though they'd had quite a night. After getting out of sight, however, they walked quickly to a dark corner and disappeared.

They reappeared on a lane that lead to the home of one of the men.

"I'm not sure she'll be happy."

"She throws a mean hex, but she's not dangerous or anything."

The men came into the house laughing and joking. She was sitting on the middle of the sofa, facing the door, wearing a violet dressing gown.

"Hey, Barbara!"

With a flick of her wrist, she put her husband under a body bind curse. "I'll get to you, later." She pointed her wand straight at her best friend's chest and asked, "What's the last thing you said to me at my wedding?"

"As I recall, I whispered, 'I call godfather to your firstborn,' into your ear."

She lowered the wand but her demeanor didn't ease. "Hear me, and hear me well, Minister Shacklebolt." She spoke with a well-modulated tone. "You will not be godparent to any child of mine whose father is not living."

"Easy, Mama Bear..."

"Easy, nothing." Her eyes got narrow.

"Barbara, we did good work tonight. The sort of thing you would have loved." He paused for emphasis. "The sort of thing that's necessary."

"Yes, I'm sure I would have loved the part where you used that smooth voice of yours to convince a man to assist you in doing something dangerous and also to hide it from his wife. Save it for your next diplomatic incident. We're still friends, Kingsley, but for now you can leave any time you please."

"I'll talk to you when you're not acting crazy," said the Minister as he walked out of the house. A moment later they heard the soft popping noise that indicated he had disapparated.

"_Finite incantatem_."

Severus crossed his arms and pondered his wife. She looked up at him, exchanging glare for glare. "Wasn't that a bit rude?"

"Oh, dear, I'm guilty of bad manners. Whatever shall I do?" Obviously she would exchange sarcasm for sarcasm, too.

"Barbara...it was simple. You should have seen it."

"I did." It was barely audible.

He went on. "They just wanted me to talk to some Death Eaters and keep them from suspecting a trap and then the aurors showed up." He stopped and mentally backed up. "You saw it?"

Her hands were over her eyes. "Everything, or almost everything. When your heart was beating fast. I could feel that, too. I couldn't help you, I didn't know where you were, and I had to watch you put yourself in danger on a whim of Kingsley Shacklebolt. Why couldn't you at least tell me about it? There I was, filling out OWLs forms and enjoying a beautiful evening and suddenly there you were, filling my head, doing something dangerous. Without any warning.

"I've misjudged this horribly." He knelt next to the couch and tried to touch her but she flinched away. "I thought I should protect you from this. It wasn't a whim, Barbara. It was the death eaters who killed Alice and Howard's parents. You do recall that the kids watched from where they were hidden while their parents were tortured and murdered? These Death Eaters were wanted for other things, too."

"You told me that you were just going out for drinks and a chat."

"Well, that's how it started, really."

"That's not how it was, really. Don't try to fool me, _I saw it! _What if they were trying to trap _you_?"

"Can I say something?"

She looked up at him with one eyebrow lifted.

"I'm sorry. I should have known that I can't protect you from something like this. Kingsley didn't want anyone to know. He specifically didn't want me to mention it to you until we had tried it. The aurors don't even know that it's me. He didn't bring it up with the Order, either, if you noticed."

She flung herself at him, kissing him wildly. "If I lose you, what happens to me? You don't know how scared I was."

"I'm sorry. I'm still learning this." He took control of the kisses, making them gentler. "Barbara... my dear..."

"I need to be sure..."

He took her hands and kissed them. "Shh...my dear, not like this...this isn't like you...it's not like us..." He stopped her, getting up to sit on the couch, then folding her into his arms. "Sh, love, just let me hold you."

After a while she stopped trembling.

"What did Kingsley tell you after the last Order meeting to make you do this?"

"He said that some of the aurors had thought of this set-up, since the Death Eaters seem to think I'm going to help them. I agree to meet them, have a drink, and then the aurors show up and I vanish. These are people whom it's hard to find any other way."

"They're going to figure it out, eventually. Either that or the aurors will have to capture you, too."

"The uses are quite limited." He agreed. "I'm good at this, though. The chances are very small that I will be caught or hurt with so many aurors around. Please trust me. I'm also trying to find out if some of these Death Eaters really want to be former Death Eaters. They deserve the chance I have had."

"But we depend on you. I do, and the kids, and our baby..."

"I'm good at traveling between the two worlds. I did it before out of an obligation to Lily when I wanted to make restitution for her death. I'm doing it now for you and our family so that our life together won't know that fear."

He tilted her head up and kissed the tears. "Barbara, I've thought hard about this. What if there were not two worlds?"

"That's why we went to Spinner's End."

"Part of it. I wanted to see if I could remember how bad it was and you were there to remind me of how good our life is. I need to help fight to keep it this way. I promise, though, I won't do it in secret next time."

She pressed her head into his chest. "At least give me that."

He lifted her face and gently kissed her. "You said you needed to be sure?"

"I need to be sure that its you and that you are really here and safe, and that it's really you. You've been distant, preoccupied lately. I couldn't account for it."

"Let's find out." He kissed her more gently still this time and yet more deeply as well, and drew her up the stairs to their bedroom.

Later, they were clinging to each other and he thought she was asleep when she said, "I'm sorry. I guess we know now... you're better when I'm in danger than I am when you are."

"I at least was able to come help you when Lestrange was there. I don't know how I would handle it if I knew you were in danger and there was nothing I could do and no way to even find you. Did you really see it all?"

"Yes."

"I think that skill you don't like to talk about is at work, here, and I think I now understand Albus' comment about your heart being on your sleeve. We need to study this. I can't have you tearing yourself up. The kids and I depend on you, too."


	2. Not always Easy

_Disclaimer: All JKRs except for a couple of OCs and some other veering into AU._

"Molly, I was a raving lunatic. I pulled my wand on the Minister of Magic, I hexed my husband, and then I attacked him."

When she woke up the next morning, Barbara sent and owl of apology to Kingsley and an owl asking if she could have tea with Molly Weasley. The older woman sent a return owl of invitation almost immediately. Barbara was now sitting in the kitchen of the Burrow, sipping tea and shredding a biscuit.

"Attacked him?"

"Well, sort of...he stopped me then...he didn't want...not when I was so angry..." Barbara stumbled and blushed to a stop.

"I see."

"I feel like I can talk to you about this because it's Order business and because you have such a successful marriage. I can keep a classroom at peace by raising an eyebrow and I can tell you the recipes of dozens of potions without looking, but this is so outside of my experience."

"And that's why you're going to be a success, Barbara. "You're willing to admit that you're learning, and you're pushing through. It is just hard, some days. The hardest part is admitting that we don't know the answers and need to feel our way through it."

"How do I do that?"

"You just do. Your greatest ally is that man of yours. The more tightly you hang on to each other, no matter what, the better your chances of success."

"But what about when at the same time I want to hex him into next week and--" Barbara stopped and blushed again.

"Make passionate love to him?" Barbara nodded, looking down, and Molly smiled. "You will probably have many such days. Go with the love, always. Just be sure that the love is in control of the anger every time.

"You will also find that there are days when you want to hex your children into next week while at the same time you want to smother them with affection. Welcome to marriage and motherhood, dear."

"How do you do it? What you've suffered and struggled with?"

"I couldn't do it without Arthur... When we face the things we must face _together_, somehow we can."

* * *

A couple of hours later Barbara walked out of her kitchen hearth to see her husband sitting at the table with a small stack of books.

"I had thought that you would come through here. So you spoke with Molly, then?"

She nodded and he saw that she looked more cheerful than she had that morning. "She sent me home with this pot of stew. I helped her make it and then she said we made way too much. Where are the kids?"

"They're at the school, having tea with Hagrid."

"Tea with Hagrid?" Her eyes took on a mischievous glint. "They'll want this stew, then. What are you working on?"

"Well, when the kids left I went to look over Mother's old books. She had several that included information on Legilimancy. This one, in particular, mentions a skill very similar to that one that you have. Here, you see, they describe that the negative effects can be diminished through Legilimancy with someone with whom the person has a deep emotional connection. The effects dissipate when someone shares it."

She sat next to him and they read the passage together.

"You knew." She looked up at him with stars in her eyes. "Severus, you knew instinctively how to take care of me when you found me in that classroom last winter and again last night when I was distressed beyond control. Professor Dumbledore said in those notes that I wear my heart on my sleeve...I usually get overwhelmed and then go on a crying jag..."

"These books are written toward dark uses. Albus never would have read them."

"I'm not so sure, or maybe it's in other books, too." Barbara looked into his eyes so that he could see the memory she had recalled.

"_Barbara, this will be a source of pain for you, but also of joy because you will know great love through it."_

"He didn't explain what he meant. I think he knew I would find what we have together. That someone with your skills in Legilimancy would help me to use it properly."

"But I caused--"

"How could you know what I would see, or that our connection could go so far geographically? Did you have any hint of it?"

"I never thought it was possible. Albus and I had discussed in more of an abstract...you know, as a hypothetical possibility, a connection between two great Legilimens. We certainly never discussed it in this sort of context, I didn't actually believe it was possible. We need to work with it, and take proper care. I don't want you or the baby to be hurt."

"What you and Kingsley did, trying to hide it from me until it was over, was reasonable in its way. It's important to me that you knew how to care for me when you got home. You are the best man I know and I've never wanted to kiss you more than I do this minute."

"I can accommodate you on that."

They were interrupted when Hagrid and the kids came in the kitchen door.

"Aunt Barbara! See what Hagrid gave us!" Alice said while Howard held up a cage with an owl inside.

"She's from a family of owls that lives near the school. I've raised her from a baby. She'll do alright," said Hagrid.

"Thank you Hagrid. Can we interest you in dinner?" Barbara had stood to hug Alice and Howard and was now moving toward the cupboard.

"No, no, already have plans. 'Bye, Alice, Howard. Just feed here like I said and she'll be fine."

"Goodbye Hagrid! Thank you."

"Thank you so very much, Hagrid. Have a good evening." Barbara saw him out the door.

They finished dinner preparations while Alice and Howard described their visit. They had taken a walk in a part of the forest after which they had tea. Hagrid introduced them to some of the creatures.

"It sounds like a delightful time," said Barbara.

"Just as long as we remember that you never go into the woods without someone like Hagrid. You were there for the battle last year, Howard? You remember some of those beasts? Most of them behave for Hagrid, but I wouldn't count on it by myself," Severus looked a little stern, but smiled. "We wouldn't want either of you to be hurt. So...what's her name?"

They continued chatting over dinner and shared clean up duties in the kitchen afterward. The family spent the evening together in the downstairs sitting room, playing Exploding Snap and Chess while listening to the wireless.

At some point, the wireless played a song from the Snapes' wedding and the kids shouted, "Dance, dance!" Then the two children watched with delight as Severus walked over to Barbara and drew her to her feet so that they could comply with this request. After that song they then danced with the children, too, before going back to Snap and Chess.

After the kids were in bed, Barbara sat in the middle of her own bed, taking her hair out of a long braid and combing it out. Her husband surreptitiously watched her while holding a book open. She still had stars in her eyes.

"You know, with that braid in your hair, you looked hardly old enough to be a mother at all, let alone the guardian of two teenagers."

"Sir, you're too kind."

"In fact, you looked about old enough to be in one of my advanced classes."

"Professor, could you tell me how to get an O on my NEWT?"

"Are you done with your hair?"

"Yes." She set the brush on her nightstand.

He set down the book and stood. "Well, then, my dear student, I've always found hands on instruction to be the most effective teaching method for my favorite..."

"So much the better," smiled Barbara, extinguishing the lights.

* * *

The cries woke her several hours later. She sat up and caught her breath.

"Do you want me to--" Severus sat up and kissed her shoulder.

"No, it's Alice. I'd better."

Barbara put on her dressing gown and went down the hall to Alice's room. Howard was standing in the doorway, worry etched onto his face. "I can't calm her down."

"Bless you, you shouldn't have to, dear. I'll see what I can do."

Barbara sat on the bed and put her hand on Alice's shoulder. "Alice...Alice...you're safe here."

"Oh, Aunt Barbara..." Alice flung herself at the woman. "They kept torturing them and asking where we were. We couldn't move or speak. We just had to watch..."

"I'm sorry, dear. It's just awful. I'm sure your parents wanted to keep you safe, just like you are, now. They wanted you to have the chance to grow up and have children of your own."

Eventually the girl quieted down and Howard went back to his own room. After Alice was fully asleep again, Barbara crossed the hall and looked into Howard's room. He was still awake.

"Are you okay?"

"Her nightmares aren't as often. That's good. Last year, some of the girls in the dorm used to go at her about it in the common room. They would say things like it was our own fault. We're so much better off, now."

"So are we," smiled Barbara, "but what I wanted to know, Howard, is how are you? You saw the same things your sister did."

"I'll be okay. I'm glad they caught the guys who did it."

"You know that if something troubles you at all, you can come to us. Good night, dear." She kissed his forehead and left him.

When she got back to her bed, her husband pulled her close. "How are they?"

"They'll manage, but it's unfortunate that their own house at school isn't really for them. I'm glad they have us, now," she murmured. "So many families torn apart."

"So many still in danger."

"Do you really have to?"

"There's a task for which I'm uniquely qualified."

"As long as you come home every time I can accept it. I'm not sure I'll ever like it."

"I will come home to you. Every time. Trust me."

She hugged him tightly. "I do trust you."

_A/N: Thank you for reading, and a special thanks to those who have taken time to reveiw._


	3. A Legacy

_Disclaimer: this is JKR's world, except for a few OCs and an AU plot change or two._

The summer wore on and the family routines became set. Severus was a little surprised one afternoon to walk into his house and find Howard and Alice nervously looking toward the kitchen where Barbara's voice could be heard shrilly arguing with other high-pitched voices.

"This is _my_ kitchen! I won't have it!"

"What's going on?" Severus asked the kids.

"Some lawyer guy showed up with three house elves and said they were part of Aunt Barbara's legacy," answered Howard. "She's been trying to throw them out ever since."

"How long has that been?"

"About a half hour."

"And the lawyer's gone?"

"He left that paper, over there on the table."

Severus looked at the document while a crash sounded from the kitchen.

"I guess I'd better go in there?"

"Good luck, Uncle Severus."

He walked toward the kitchen and raised his voice. "Barbara, I'm home..."

"Now you'll see. You'll be set right, now," said Barbara. "Severus, come see what's happened..."

He walked into the kitchen and saw his red faced wife glaring at two female house elves and one male one, all wearing clean tea towels. Several bits of broken crockery lay on the shelves behind the elves.

His first task was to pull his wife into his arms. He repaired the dishes on the shelves and then he spoke with the elves over her shoulder.

"And who might you be?"

"Oh, Master," said one of the elves, "I'm Itsy, this is my sister Bitsy, and he's Nod. We are part of the Lestrange house elves, but now they say we are moving to your house and working for you."

"I see. Well, the documentation looks like it's in order. Would you be able to fix some dinner? We can discuss your compensation later."

"Oh, sir! We are not wanting pay! The next worst thing to clothes! The humiliation..."

"There will not be any clothes, unless you want them, but pay there will be. It can be our secret, but there is no way out of it. Meanwhile, Barbara, we need to go upstairs."

She stirred herself. "Not until--" She saw his eyes and saw that there was no argument. She put her hand into his and followed him from the room.

As they walked through the living room, Severus winked at Alice and Howard. "I'm sure our supper will be ready pretty soon. You had better wash up." The kids nodded and smiled.

They barely got into their bedroom. "I don't want servants, especially ones we _own_!"

"Barbara, we cannot fight against certain types of magic." The one that binds house elves and wizarding families is very strong. We'll find a way to free them if you like, but we will not injure their sense of honor."

"And I didn't really want a Lestrange inheritance. It was one thing to be able to use the money to buy this house, which we are using to help the kids hurt by the war, but..."

"The elves will help the children, too, and when we're at the school they can help there, as well. I was a little worried about how we would manage everything when the baby gets here and now we will have extra hands. Meanwhile, you can provide them a gentler way of life than the one they no doubt previously had."

He sat on a chair and pulled her down onto his lap, holding her close. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

She sighed. "I must have been such a cranky old maid, so firmly set in my ways." He kissed the top of her head. "There's so much I have to learn."

"We've both had a bit to learn over the last year. And look at how we've excelled in our studies," he said while putting his hand over her rounded tummy.

Barbara turned pink. "You're making me blush."

"Let's start tonight's lesson with this." He handed her an old fashioned rose of a soft pink color, with darker pink around its edges.

"My lab book has more flowers than notes in it." Barbara smiled.

"You told me you had never gotten flowers from a gentleman before and I intend to make it up to you."

She pulled his face to her lips. "You're so calm, and lately I've been..."

"Mmmmph." Severus let her kiss him for a long minute. "You've been my dear wife. If I can be calm about all of the changes to our lives, it's because there's something more serious going on."

"You've been contacted again?"

"Some of my first students. I'm hoping they're not interested in being Death Eaters any more."

"When do you have to meet them?"

"In a couple of nights." He looked into her puckering face and said, "For tonight, though, we're going to enjoy our dinner and evening with our family and then we're going to come up here where I hope to enjoy my wife's company." He rubbed at the frown in her forehead.

"It's a date. In fact, here is a preview." She pressed herself against him and kissed him with great ardor, while willing herself to relax.

* * *

Two nights later Barbara had just cleared school books off of the bed when she watched her husband come through the door and shut it behind him. As he lifted his eyes they seemed empty, but she saw such distress and anguish that she merely lifted her arms.

Hardly a heartbeat had passed before he had his arms around her waist and his head buried in her dressing gown. After a moment he looked up and kissed her desperately. She felt him relax and then he buried his head in her dressing gown again.

"Tell me what happened."

"You didn't see?"

She shook her head. "There was a crushing disappointment and then the aurors showed up and I didn't get much."

He sighed and allowed her to pull him close. She ran her fingers through his hair and over his shoulders. He sighed again. "So nice to come home... They refused to consider a new way of life or train of thought. They wanted to know when I was going to lead them in rising up. They wanted so much of me; it was exhausting to contemplate. I couldn't change their minds, and their crimes were so heinous... I had to let the aurors take them.

"Except they fought back, and two of them were killed. I feel so responsible. They were students of mine. They looked up to me. I thought I could do this, but now I'm not sure..."

She kissed his forehead. "You were their chance to do better. I'm not a fan of the danger in which you're putting yourself, but if they could have changed...it's a good thing, Severus."

"I'm almost ready to tell Kingsley I don't want to do this any more."

"You know I won't argue against that." She kissed him again.

"The cost of stopping, I don't know if I can do that, either... Barbara, I need you."

"Just rest." Barbara shifted her weight, setting his head down on the pillow, and kissed him again, getting off the bed. Moving around the bed, she unfastened his shoes and then his robes, removing them as gently as she could.

She carefully undressed him, searching for any sign of new injury. Finding none, she dimmed the lights and silently let out a sigh of relief. Sitting back down upon the bed, she took her husband into her arms and kissed him again, gently at first. "Oh, Barbara..."

_A/N: Thank you to my kind reviewers!_


	4. A Happy Birthday

_Disclaimer: I'm not JKR, most of these people belong to her. The world they inhabit does, too._

_Thank you for your reviews!_

Waking up with his wife curled into his side, Severus Snape brushed the cloud of hair off of her face and started kissing her. He started with her hair line and kissed her eyes before moving to her ear.

"Good morning, are you ready for the big day?"

"Mm...You're kidding? It's morning all ready? How did that happen?"

"When the Earth rotates, it faces the sun for so many hours and then away from the sun and then..."

"Very funny. Are you sure the letters will even be here this morning?"

"After making me sit through preparing them and signing them, Minerva assured me that they would be sent out for today." He kissed her shoulder. "Barbara, it's time to get up."

"I'll never catch up on my sleep."

"It's a special day. Come on, now." A package was put into her hand.

"What is this?"

She opened the package to find a framed picture from their wedding, just as the ceremony ended. She caught her breath at the look on her husband's face in the picture as the picture Severus touched the cheek of the picture Barbara and kissed her.

_For my dear wife,_

_This was the best day of my life, except for all the ones that have followed it._

_Happy birthday, my love._

_As ever,  
__Severus_

Her eyes prickled, and her arms went around his neck. "What time did you say it was?"

"The elves have breakfast for the kids in hand."

"I should be ashamed of such self indulgence."

* * *

Hogwarts school letters in hand, the Snape family popped out of a fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron. After waving to some people they knew in the bar, Severus and Barbara led Alice and Howard out to the courtyard where the archway was and tapped on the brick in the wall.

"Shall we 'divide and conquer,' or do you want to stick together?" asked Severus.

Alice tugged on the sleeve of Barbara's robe. Barbara leaned toward her husband. "I think we should split up." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "In case there are _particular_ things we need to get."

"Ah ha. So the sandwich shop, then, for a late lunch and then off to our meeting?" Severus tried to look understanding but failed utterly.

"It sounds like a good plan." Barbara tried not to laugh at his discomfiture. "Okay, Alice. Let's head to Madam Malkin's first. You haven't a single decent school robe, you've grown so much..."

What followed for Alice was a dream come true of shopping. They tried on an endless supply of robes, for school and then some just because Aunt Barbara thought they might be pretty. "In a year or two we'll have to look out for some dress robes. It can't hurt to get an idea of what might look nice, now."

They spent several minutes going over their book list in the book store and at the apothecary shop, although those supplies were fairly straightforward. At the stationer's shop they took no time at all getting parchment and quills for school but then quite a while looking for just the right sort of papers and quills with which to write letters and notes to friends, as well as a diary. "The right sort of diary is easier to write secrets in," said Alice.

Aunt Barbara nodded indulgently. "I quite agree."

Finally they ended with a trip to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes where Alice found some classmates. After the owner, George Weasley, flirted with the girls, they spent quite a while squealing over the pygmy puffs and love potions. Aunt Barbara watched as the girls looked over each item. She had not actually ever been on this sort of shopping trip, herself and was enjoying it as much as the girls. All of the trips when she was a girl had been more utilitarian in nature.

All too soon it was time to stop for lunch. Over sandwiches, Aunt Barbara and Uncle Severus compared notes on whether everything had been purchased. As it happened. Uncle Severus and Howard forgot dress robes and would have to go back (to Howard's dismay) and Aunt Barbara decided to make a secret stop at the book store and apothecary again.

Finally they went back to the Leaky Cauldron and flooed over to number 12 Grimmauld Place.

"There you are. Let me see you all!" Mrs. Weasley took a good look at Alice and Howard, noting that they were much more cheerful looking than when she first met them. She then took a longer look at Aunt Barbara, saying that she looked just right. When more grown ups came, Mrs Weasley shooed the students up to the sitting room, to their loud complaint.

"Yeah, she made us do that for years," said Ron Weasley. "I'd feel bad for you, but I don't."

The adults went to the kitchen and started the meeting. Kingsley brought it to order. "First of all, I would like to welcome Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood to the Order. They and several other recent graduates who have been members of Dumbledore's Army are joining. Secondly, I would like to announce that the next several meetings will be held at Hogwarts due to the school term starting and Barbara's interesting condition.

"We haven't done much over the summer, we've collected a little information and we've run a very successful operation on two occasions. Severus has been key to this little scam, and it's worked beautifully."

Barbara snapped, "How can it be successful if two people were killed?"

"Barbara," her husband took her hand and kissed it. "This may not be the right time..."

"You're right, that part of it was not successful," Kingsley continued, "but we have stopped some vicious people from carrying out their vicious activities. We have also gained some information from them. Best of all, they don't suspect what is going on. They think that they have been handed over to Magical Law Enforcement because they somehow were not worthy. The Death Eater culture is doing some of our work for us."

"It's not going to work forever," pointed out Minerva. "Eventually someone will gain a central power and figure out what is happening."

Snape squeezed his wife's fingers to keep her from speaking again. "We're carefully watching what happens, Minerva."

He looked at his wife. For some reason, she had stopped looking angry. She had just the slightest bit of a vacant but pleased expression on her face, although she gave the surface appearance of paying attention to the conversation. Her free hand slid down to her middle.

Kingsley cleared his throat. "Next item: The Wizengamot will be meeting over the next few days to start sentencing some of the Death Eaters who have recently been caught. Is it still the sentiment of this group that we should have some leniency, if possible?" The heads around the table all nodded. "I'm still not sure how the committee will take it, but I will make the recommendation."

"Finally, and we will need to discuss this one: how do we prevent the next Tom Riddle from turning into the next Voldemort? What observations do we have? What will work?"

* * *

Kingsley and Severus put their heads together for a few minutes after the meeting. "I told you to make her happy. That was not a happy woman who threw me out of her house."

"She's pretty tightly wound these days. She doesn't think you have my best interests in mind."

Kingsley sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Show me the person who thinks I have their best interests in mind. The Ministry is a cesspool, weeding out the problems so delicate a process..."

Snape raised an eyebrow, "Tell me you're not enjoying it."

The Minister laughed. "Of course I'm enjoying it. Meanwhile, we won't be using you for a while. See if you can get your wife to calm down."

"I'll tell you what. You see if you can get a wife of your own and then you can tell me how to handle mine." Severus stepped away and looked into the eyes of his wife, who was watching them from across the room. "We have plans for the evening, so we'll be going now. I'll await your instructions, Minister."

* * *

The Snape family arrived back in their own kitchen to the aroma of their dinner. The special dishes had been laid on the dining room table and there were flowers everywhere.

"Itsy, Bitsy, did you do all of this?"

"Happy Birthday, Mistress!"

Barbara turned to her husband. "Did you put them up to this?"

Severus and the kids smiled. "Surprise!"

* * *

Barbara prepared for bed with a soft smile on her face. Severus had given her beautiful dress robes of deep violet with roses embroidered on it and the kids insisted that she wear it for dinner. She insisted, in turn, that everyone else dress up as well. What followed was a lovely dinner and evening. The children demanded lots of dancing and even the elves were drafted into it.

Her husband saw the look on her face. "Have you enjoyed your birthday?"

"It's been a wonderful day. I never dreamed, a year ago..."

"...You just had 'hopes and aspirations,' as you said that one evening?"

He loved to watch her blush. "Not even. At least not then. It would be too much to even consider. I was just looking forward to the school year and to working with people who are at the top level of their disciplines. I thought we might be good friends. Our collaboration had been going so well. No, if I thought about it or hoped about it, I thought good friends was the most that would happen."

"I thought, while riding on the train with you, that you were the most interesting woman I'd ever met in my life. Since then I find that I underestimated you."

"What about--?"

"I can't compare it. She and I were children when we met. You and I met as adults and as an adult I was prepared to appreciate you fully. No, it's you, my dear." He pulled her to him and held her close. "It's you whom I love more than anyone else."

"I love you, too."

Barbara Snape ended her birthday as she began it, clasped within her husband's embrace.


	5. Back to school

_Disclaimer: All JKR's, with a couple of OCs and some AU plot._

The Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was as grand as ever on the night of the feast that marked the beginning of the school year. Severus Snape surveyed the room with the same sarcastic glare that he always used, noting the friendships that might have sprung up or ended based upon how the students sat at the tables. Alice and Howard, he could see, were in a small knot of students that were somehow not part of the rest of the Slytherin table, but they were not entirely alone, either.

Suddenly the door at the end of the room opened and the First Years students walked up between the middle tables in a line. Professor Snape only had eyes for the witch leading them up to the seat containing the sorting hat. The hat sang its song, and Professor Merrill nodded to Professor Snape. He picked up the scroll of names and stood.

As they passed, she going to sit down and he to stand by the three legged stool, he could see her neck where he had kissed her just a few hours before. It wouldn't do to think about that for long, so he opened the scroll and started reading the names. Each student sat on the stool and he dropped the hat on the child's head. When the hat named the student's house, he picked up the hat and called the next name. Finally, he was able to sit back down next to his wife.

The sorting finished, Headmistress McGonagall stood. "The First Years have just been sorted, and so do you all belong to your individual houses, but I want you all to remember that you are, first and foremost, Hogwarts students. I suggest you all look to making friends in _all_ of the other houses. Let us enjoy our feast and then we will have some announcements." As the students turned back to their plates, the tables filled with food.

Severus looked at Barbara. She seemed a little tired. "So Minerva wanted you to take charge of them until sorting. Even though it's the Deputy's job..."

"Perhaps she's afraid your reputation precedes you and that they would be scared to death. They can't all know you as I do...at least I hope not." She pretended to lower her eyes demurely and he felt his pulse pick up.

"Maybe she was afraid that if we got too close before sorting, I would forget what I was supposed to do. I can't decide for sure, but I think I could make out the exact spot where I kissed your neck, earlier." He was rewarded by a warm flush that crept over her face.

Her response, after a few minutes, was to put her hand just above his knee. He took that hand and kissed the inside of her wrist. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

He leaned toward her ear. "Might I suggest a cease-fire, Madam? Any minute now we'll have our wands out and I wouldn't want Minerva to have to dock house points on the first night due to the behavior of the heads of house."

"Besides that," she responded, "I can promise you will wish you had eaten a good meal."

They paid somewhat more attention to their dinner and quite a bit more attention to each other's eyes and didn't notice another teacher's approach.

"Well, well, it's true. The smartest kid in school married to the girl who did nothing but study."

"Mary MacDonald!" Barbara said as she and Severus stood to shake hands. "How good to see you. Minerva said you would be taking over Transfiguration and Gryffindor."

"Yes, I came, although as much to keep an eye on certain things." She looked Professor Snape over, coldly. Professor Merrill started to bristle.

"It's... charming... to see you again, Mary. I'm sure we look forward to working with you, don't we, Barbara?"

Barbara nodded. "But you really should go back to your seat, Mary. The dessert course is always the best part and there are Minerva's announcements, of course, including your own introduction. We will definitely have to catch up, soon." The Snapes sat back down as Professor MacDonald went back to her seat.

"My dear," his voice lowered as Barbara's face blanched and then took on a rosy glow. "Whatever is the matter?" His face looked concerned.

"Oh, nothing at all," she quickly responded. "I think I just felt the baby move. It's so light. I try to feel it with my hand, but nothing."

"Did it happen at the meeting the other day, too?"

She looked up at his eyes. "You noticed? I wasn't sure if it was real."

"You suddenly looked preoccupied." He cast a glance around the Hall again. "I wonder if this meal will ever be done."

"It will. Oh! Look at the cakes and puddings!"

Eventually, the Headmistress stood and gave the usual announcements about the ever-expanding list of items banned by Caretaker Filch, and the ubiquitous warning to stay out of the forest. She wrapped up with the introduction of Professor MacDonald, who would be the house head for Gryffindor and the new Transfiguration teacher for all but the NEWT level courses. Professor MacDonald rose and nodded, looking at all the tables and casting a withering glare at the Slytherin one. After that the students were dismissed to their houses.

Professors Snape and Merrill walked out of the Great Hall together as they usually did but parted at the stairs. "I had better head down to the Slytherin common room to make sure all is well," Severus said.

"As I should do with Ravenclaw," said Barbara.

"So we'll meet in the middle?"

"It won't be too soon."

He kissed her hand and watched as she walked up the first flight before hurrying to the dungeons.

* * *

"So, Howard, have you given more thought to your career aspirations?" The sixth years had their schedules worked out on the morning of the first day of classes.

"Yes, Professor Snape, I had thought of being an auror, but my Potions OWL..."

"Actually, I think Professor Merrill will accept you into her course. She seemed to think there were mitigating circumstances affecting your grades. Your Defense Against the Dark Arts coursework has been very good. Is this still what you want to do?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, we'll put you into those NEWT courses, then. Between you and me, I think you will find that your Aunt Barbara put your cauldron, text book, and all your other materials into your trunk yesterday morning. That's what she went back for when we were at Diagon Alley."

"How does she just know this stuff?"

"She definitely has a sense about these things, doesn't she? You should also consider is joining Dumbledore's Army. They meet a couple of times a month and they practice a great many of the skills we learn in Defense Against the Dark Arts. You will find it useful."

"Will they let in a Slytherin?"

"They will if they don't want to feel Professor Merrill's stinging hex. Don't worry. She'll sort it out." He handed Howard his course schedule and sent the boy away smiling.

Professor MacDonald walked over. "I hope you haven't placed him in the NEWT level Transfiguration course. His OWL wasn't that good."

"Did you see his actual test?"

"No."

"Well, Minerva and I have discussed it and decided that he could take the course. Since she's teaching the NEWT course for the sixth and seventh years this term, I don't see that it's your concern."

"You seem to be bending the rules for the children in your house..."

"I've bent them for several of the children in your house, too, Professor. I can think of several Gryffindors who are being allowed to attempt the NEWT in Defense Against the Dark Arts without quite making the OWL grade, but who have proved their skills otherwise. If you have a difficulty with any of this, we can discuss it with Minerva."

She sputtered and narrowed her eyes before moving back to her own students. He turned and looked over at the Ravenclaw table. His wife was in between students, too, and smiled at him.

* * *

"Mary, I thought we should have some tea and catch up." Professors MacDonald and Merrill were sitting together in the Potion Mistress' office. "How are you finding things here at the school?"

"It's so similar to what I remember but so different, too."

"That's exactly how it struck me. After a week or two, though, I felt like everything was normal."

"And you had already scoped out a husband."

Barbara laughed. "Not really. Severus and I started a correspondence years ago when I worked at the Quality Dungeon at Ministry. We actually met for the first time after the battle, here, and became friends at that point. It sort of went from there."

"How could you fall in love with the enemy?"

"Well, as it turns out, he wasn't really the enemy, and when he seemed to be the enemy, I didn't really know him. I was pretty isolated in the Ministry Dungeon."

"That must have been nice. I had a terrible time protecting myself and my parents."

"I'm so sorry." Barbara reached across the table and put her hand on Mary's arm. "What was it like?"

"Horrible." Mary's eyes filled with tears. "For a while, I couldn't get a job and had to live with my parents, but that whole time I had to worry about them being hurt."

"Are they okay, now? Is everything fine?"

"Yes, I guess it is. Mum and Dad are doing well, and now I have this job.

"I barely got my parents out of the country, and even that didn't help. They were killed in Switzerland last fall. Terrible things have happened."

The women drank their tea and pondered their own thoughts.

Mary said, "My experiences here were not all good, either."

Barbara nodded. "Avery and Mulciber had it in for every muggle born witch on the grounds. Were you badly hurt by them?"

A shrug. "The Marauders kept an eye out for me, I guess. I cannot imagine befriending one of those cretins' friends, though."

Barbara bristled completely this time. "Are you referring to the man who is now Deputy Headmaster of this school?"

"I'm referring to Severus Snape as we knew him twenty years ago. Or does having pureblood grandparents change your situation?" There was no mistaking the venom in Professor MacDonald's tone.

"Not in the least. I was raised a muggle and have been treated by those who care about such things as a muggle-born witch. Mary, I was hoping we could be friends."

"I don't think we can. You seem to have skated over the bad parts of the war and I don't think we have that much in common."

Barbara smiled sadly. "I'm sorry to hear that. Can we try for congenial, since we will be colleagues, here?"

Mary stood. "I'm not sure. We'll have to see. Well, I have to look over my class notes for tomorrow and then there's dinner. Thank you for tea."

She left Barbara sitting in contemplation, where her husband found her several minutes later.

"How is my dearest lady?" She looked up and smiled at him. He sat across from her and took her hand.

"Perplexed."

"Already? On the first day of school?"

"I invited Mary MacDonald for tea and had quite a conversation about school back when we were here, and the war. Horrible things have happened to her, but she didn't seem hurt. More enraged."

He was now playing with her fingers. "Does it worry you?"

"I admit that it does, a little. I'm not sure she has been honest with me. There's something..." A thought was just on the edge of her mind and then it was gone. "Something doesn't add up." He had moved on to kissing each finger individually. "Professor? Are you trying to distract me or is this part of a lesson plan you're creating?"

"Would you like to have a quick dinner in the Great Hall tonight or something brought to us in our apartment?"

"Hmmm...weren't we planning to work on some potions together tonight for our research?"

"I think we could make proper use of these quarters. Being good teachers, we should have the flexibility to adjust our lesson plans, wouldn't you say?"

_A/N: Well, they had to get back to school and some drama at some point... Thank you for the reviews!_


	6. Various Things

_Disclaimer: JKR's world with some OC additions and that sort of thing._

_A/N: I was on vacation last week and I'm still not sure I have everything figured out, but quite a few nifty things have come to me. Thank you, reviewers! You are most kind._

Hogwarts quickly ran along well established routines and the Snapes quickly found themselves enjoying the school year. It was particularly nice to be able to enjoy each other's company just before getting to their classes every morning at breakfast.

"Oh, look, it's the golden couple."

Barbara and Severus were enjoying the last few minutes of breakfast before their first classes of the day. Mary MacDonald broke in upon their quiet glances and smiles.

"Why, Good Morning, Professor MacDonald. We're just finishing up, but you're welcome to join us."

"I don't mind if I do," said Mary who had already sat and was now filling her plate with breakfast. "So, just to get the conversation started, do you really have 25 OWLs between you?"

The couple exchanged a glance. "Hmm, um, twelve," said Barbara, the corners of her mouth twitching.

"It would appear that 25 is an exaggeration, Mary. We only have twenty-four. Where did you hear that, anyway?" Severus made a twisted smile into his coffee cup.

"And you took NEWTs in all of your OWL subjects?"

They exchanged glances again. Barbara shook her head, "Only eight."

Severus smiled at his wife. "Sixteen then. But if you count Barbara's muggle PhD--"

"Let's not," his wife murmured.

"--anyhow, Mary, is there a point to this?"

"Well, I was just wondering how two such brilliant people, who spent all of their school time with noses pressed in books, ended up in charge of things like Dumbledore's Army?"

Barbara watched a chill come over her husband's eyes. "Are you saying that because my wife is smart she's not qualified? The students asked because--" He stopped when he felt her hand squeezing her knee.

"I quite see your point, Mary. Surely if a group is going to be fighting against evil, it ought to be led by someone from Gryffindor?" Mary nodded. "Well, that's easily fixed. It's really a student organization, so it's up to the students, but there's no reason we cannot ask them. Why don't you join us? They use a classroom on the fifth floor and meet for a couple of hours before dinner, today in fact." Mary sat back in satisfaction and Barbara got up. "Really, Severus, I think we'll be late for our classes if we don't get moving."

He walked her to the stairs. "Why the hostility from her, and why didn't you want me to mention your experience?"

"I suspect we'll know when she wants us to know, and I don't know why, but I don't want her to know about that, just yet. If we play along with her, just a little bit, we might learn something. Meanwhile, the morning will be long without you. I cannot wait to see you at lunch."

"I look forward to it, as well," he said, lifting her hand to his lips.

* * *

Dumbledore's Army was completely different than in previous years. The only original member who had not yet graduated was Dennis Creevy. The classroom contained half a dozen students each of Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs, plus two or three Slytherins.

Professor MacDonald clapped her hands to start the meeting. "Okay, I see the first thing we need to do is get rid of a couple of unworthy students..." She was looking at Howard Prewett and his friends.

Twenty horrified faces looked to Professor Merrill.

"Actually, Professor MacDonald, this is a student-run organization, as I told you at breakfast. Who joins, what they work on, and who leads them is entirely up to the students. I am only here at their request. Why don't we come sit over here and let them get on with it. Dennis, perhaps you would like to start?"

Professor Merrill conjured a couple of easy chairs and sat in one of them. Professor MacDonald transformed the other into a modern looking thing that didn't appear to be anywhere near as comfortable. She then sat down stiffly.

Dennis cleared his throat. "I would like to welcome everyone to this meeting. I'm glad to see that there are people here from all of the houses. Does this suit us all?" All of the students present nodded and smiled. Professor MacDonald shifted in her chair angrily.

Dennis went on. "Although we hope not to see battle ourselves, Professor Snape suggested that we would get some good practice if we continued this group, and that it would be particularly useful for students attempting the NEWT level Defense Against the Dark Arts course. Is this agreeable to everyone?" Again, the students nodded and murmured yes.

"Also, Professor Merrill tells me that Professor MacDonald is interested in being faculty advisor. It looks like we need to make a decision on that."

A student near the back of the room asked, "What are Professor MacDonald's qualifications? Has she ever been--"

Barbara spoke quickly. "No one who was at Hogwarts when Professor MacDonald and I were here could avoid having experience in defending ourselves against the dark arts. The times were quite dangerous. Anyway, if you hadn't heard or noticed, I'm not going to be much good coaching you after the next month or so. Perhaps you should have two advisors?" She still couldn't say why, but she still didn't want the fact that she was trained as an auror to be discussed just then.

The students nodded solemnly. "Can you get us going, Professor Merrill?" asked Dennis.

"OK, then." Barbara stood and her chair disappeared. "Perhaps we should get started then, with the permission of the group. Most of you are new, and the first things we should practice are true defensive techniques, such as disarming our opponent."

"Professor?" A young Hufflepuff raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"Would it be possible to show us what a real duel looks like? Between you and Professor MacDonald? Most of us were sent to the Hog's Head on the night of the Battle."

"I'm not so sure..." Merrill began.

"I accept," said MacDonald, rising from her chair. She strode back and forth across the end of the room. The students looked between her and Merrill, who had her wand in a defensive position but otherwise barely moved except what was necessary to keep the other teacher in her sight.

MacDonald waved her wand arm and shouted a jinx. A ray of sparks went shooting at Merrill, who with the merest flick of her wand deflected the spell. MacDonald tried again only to have her spell deflected again. She tried different hexes and jinxes, but found that they were all deflected. Finally deciding that they had gone long enough, Merrill said, "_Expelliaramus!_" MacDonald's wand flew out of her hand.

"There you are," said Merrill. "Those of you who are in the NEWT level Defense Against the Dark Arts course will recognize that I was using a silent protective charm for the most part, as well as the disarming charm. You don't have to be in a battle to find these spells quite useful, and while they're most effective with the least amount of effort, just getting them down is a good way to start. So why don't you pair off. One of each pair needs to try a fairly simple spell while the other is to use the basic protective charm. If you are able to do it silently, go ahead, but we really want you to be effective today. Professor MacDonald and I will come around and see how you do."

She had walked toward the students and now stood among them, smiling. She suddenly saw an apprehensive look on several faces and pointed her wand over her shoulder. "_Protego!_" Turning, she found that Professor MacDonald had silently retrieved her wand and had pointed it at her.

"OK, another thing you need to watch for is someone who tries to sneak up on you. Does anyone know how I realized I might be in danger?" The students shook their heads. "Several of you saw Professor MacDonald and the looks on your faces gave me a warning. To successfully protect yourself, it's a good idea to pick up whatever clues you have at hand. I wouldn't suggest tossing a protective charm over your shoulders as a regular thing, but it can be useful in its place. So, you students get to work... Professor MacDonald, shall we?"

Professor MacDonald could only frown and walk through the pairs in the room as Professor Merrill had suggested. She wandered through, giving advice and glaring at the other teacher by turns until she looked up at one point and found herself under the cold but amused stare of the other teacher's husband. Professor Merrill had seen him too.

"Professor Snape! Is it that late, already? _Finite incantatem!_ OK, everybody! We need to run to dinner. Don't forget to wash up before you eat!"

The students ran out in a flurry of thanks. Professor MacDonald stalked out of the room. "I'm not through with you."

"Of course not," replied Professor Merrill, "there's another meeting next week."

She spent several minutes straightening up the room, readjusting the posters and chasing the cushions into their proper corner. "Are we supposed to supervise at dinner tonight? Suddenly I feel the exhaustion of every minute of this pregnancy."

"No, and I'm not surprised. She was coming at you hard and you had to concentrate. You handled her magnificently, of course."

"She just wanted to win."

"Is that why she tried to stupify you from behind?"

"Were you watching us?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"Oh, I see, Mr. Expert Legilimens." She looked up at him through her lashes. "What am I thinking right now?"

He looked down into her eyes for a moment. "That's a very interesting proposition, Mrs. Snape. However, I also see that you're very tired, perhaps too tired for that tonight. Why don't we go to our rooms, have a quiet dinner and see how you feel after you've had a chance to rest?" He put his arm around her and carefully walked her to their rooms.

* * *

After breakfast the next Saturday, they took advantage of a lovely day and went to sit near the willow tree. It must be admitted that they looked at all of the students carrying books and studying outside with great satisfaction.

"I wonder how many of them are specifically cursing one of us, right now?" Barbara mused.

Severus looked at the groups of students around the lake. "We're not the only difficult teachers these days. Word among the Slytherins is that Professor MacDonald is pretty tough, too."

"I've heard that in Ravenclaw, too. We don't usually find Transfiguration to be difficult. Curious."

"The witch may stop being an auror, but you can't take the auror out of the witch..."

"Never mind." She slid closer to him. "So what do you suppose the students would think if two professors started snogging over here in front of them?"

His mouth curled around the edges. "Surely they know by now that we must do a fair amount of that?" He reached around and put a hand on her belly. "I don't want any prefects to come up here and try to give us detentions. It would spoil the mood for what I had planned after lunch."

"Really? And what would that be?"

"You will see. For now, " he said, shifting her around and pulling her head into his lap, "Why don't you just rest? You've gotten pretty tired this week."

"Hmmm... I'm pretty spoiled, as wives go, you know."

"I've waited so long for this to come into my life. I'm going to get everything I can from it, even the parts that involve me doing something for you."

Severus watched his wife doze a bit. Some of the students were doing school work but others were walking around the lake or just sitting and enjoying the day as he and his wife were doing. As he watched he saw two figures walking through the gates and up into the school. After a few minutes they came back out and walked across the lawn toward the tree.

"Barbara, it appears we have visitors."

She sat up just as Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom reached them.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, Mr. Longbottom, how very interesting to see you."

"We have messages for you both."

Barbara looked at hers. "They're having a meeting about the auror program in Minerva's office. Let me guess. Yours is Order business?"

"I need to go right away."

"Gentlemen, we'll catch up to you," Barbara said to Harry and Neville, who realized what she wanted and started walking away.

Severus stood and helped his wife up. Her eyes said that she wouldn't argue but her her heart was begging him to be careful and to come home as soon as possible. He received both messages and smiled at her.

"I'll see you in a few hours. You will probably be busy, too."

"Yes, I think I shall." She bit her lip, then smiled. "I love you and I trust you."

Still holding her hands, he leaned down and kissed her, gently but thoroughly, not minding that every student near the lake could see them. Then he touched her face. "I shall definitely be back for more of this."

They walked quietly back toward the castle, both in their own thoughts, until they reached the point where they had to part. Neville and Harry were waiting. Severus kissed Barbara's hand and continued along to the gate with Neville. Barbara watched for several minutes.

"Professor?"

"Yes..."

"Professor, they're waiting for us."

"Oh, gracious, yes. I'm sorry, Harry. We should move along, shouldn't we?"

"Can I help you, at all?" He offered her his arm.

Barbara smiled. "That's quite gallant, but no. Severus likes to be over-protective and I admit I like it when he treats me as something precious. It works for both of us. I give you full marks for observation when you didn't appear to be looking, though. How do you find your training, generally?"

Harry turned a bit red, and then told her some of his experiences as they walked into the castle and up to the Headmistress' office.

* * *

Barbara decided that night that one of the best sounds in the whole world was that of her husband's step through the sitting room. She took him into her arms and they held each other for a long a moment.

"That went rather well, tonight?" He nodded into her shoulder. "Are you hurt? Hungry?" He shook his head.

"I'm just hungry for you." He kissed her, with such force that she thought she might stop breathing.

"Here, then, let me help you with your things," she said, after a moment.

"I know what you're doing," he said. "I haven't been injured. You needn't fret yourself."

She looked up at him. The eyes that wouldn't argue that morning would take no argument that night. He smiled gently and sat on the bed, letting her continue, until it became difficult. "Barbara, watch that, Barbara..." He lifted her onto the bed beside himself and the moment became a blur of his hands and lips.

Then he stopped. "What was that?"

"What was what?" she asked. "Whatever are you doing?"

He was tugging at the hem of her robe so that he could put his hand to her bare middle and was soon rewarded by a definite thump. "It's the baby, isn't it?"

She nodded, a little shyly. He held his hand there a little longer while Barbara watched the play of emotions over his face. He looked at her with strangely sparkling eyes and kissed the spot where he had felt the baby moving. Then he moved back to her lips, kissing her, if anything, more eagerly than before.


	7. Hogsmeade Weekend

_Disclaimer: JKR's world and people except for my OCs and some of the situations._

_A/N: Something pretty horrible is alluded to in the last scene here. I've been pretty euphemistic about it, and the bad thing doesn't actually happen, but I think it's fair to give warning._

"Well, Mr. Prewett, how do you come to be in my detention? What made you sink to Markoff's level?"

Howard looked up from the cauldron he was scrubbing and sighed. "Uncle Severus, I think I'm in love."

Severus wasn't expecting this. He took a careful look at the anguished face before him, seeing the distress in the boy's hazel eyes. "I see. So who might the object of your affections be?"

Howard turned red. "Daphne Gilford. Markoff made an ugly comment about her."

"Of the blond hair and blue eyes? Yes, I can see her inspiring such devotion. Have you spoken with the lady?"

"Yes. I got her to join DA and we study together some nights."

"But have you told her how you feel?"

"I can't do that! What if she doesn't feel the same way? What if she just laughs at me?"

"Do you think she would honestly laugh at you?"

"No, she might feel bad for me, and that would be worse."

"I see."

"How was it for you, Uncle Severus? Back when you and Aunt Barbara were at school?"

"I did fall in love once. It was hopeless. We spent quite a bit of time together but I never told her how I felt. Then we had an argument and we never spoke again."

"Aunt Barbara?"

"Lily Evans...Lily Potter, eventually."

"You were in love with Harry Potter's mother?"

"We were from the same town. She seemed so perfect to me...too perfect to tell her how I felt about her. Perhaps I worried, like you, that she would have laughed or felt bad for me."

"But what about Aunt Barbara?"

"I didn't really know her until after the final battle of the war. We were here at Hogwarts for some of the same years, but I didn't know her at all. She was a funny little thing, not much to her except those big eyes and pigtails, hanging about in the library all the time."

"So the whole time you were in school together you never spoke with Aunt Barbara?"

"You'll have to ask her, because her memory is better on these things, but I think I once said, "Excuse me," when taking a chair from the table in the library at which she was sitting."

"So how did you ever happen to fall in love with her?"

Severus smiled, recalling the willow tree and many very special days. "She became a good friend to me after the battle. She went back to work at the Ministry and because we both work in potions, we became collaborators. I made sure she got the job here and then last year I simply loved her."

"How did you know you were in love?"

"I knew how much she loved me, first. She doesn't always say much, but sometimes her actions say a great deal. Then came a day, after one of your meetings of students who had lost parents... She was so very distressed. I tried to talk her out of having any more meetings but she wouldn't hear of it. Suddenly I realized that I needed to be with her and comfort her and, to the best of my ability, help her continue working with all of you. I knew in that moment that I had fallen into a love that went beyond what she gives to me."

"So how did you tell her? How did you break the ice?"

"Ah... I didn't break the ice. I hope that eventually I would have, but what happened is that she asked me why I had not said or done anything. In a nutshell, this is why Lily could never be to me what Barbara is. Barbara loved me enough to say something when I couldn't make myself speak. When it came down to it, I don't think I loved Lily enough to speak, and she certainly never felt that way about me."

"Aunt Barbara didn't ask you to marry her, did she?"

"No, and, actually I told her I love her before she told me. She was the shy one on some other occasions, too— well, we'd better not get into that. Anyhow, you've been there for most of the rest of it."

"You love each other a lot, don't you?"

"I cannot imagine my life without her. I don't want to remember what that was like."

"Thanks, Uncle Severus."

"I don't think I've told you how to win the heart of the fair Miss Gilford."

"You have given me a lot to think about, though."

* * *

The first Hogsmeade Weekend of the school year was usually a tumultuous day. Professors Snape and Merrill escaped through the door, where the students were already lining up, before Mr. Filch had a chance to start checking the students against the approved list.

After walking up to the town, Professor Snape left his wife at the Three Broomsticks before heading out to act as a check on the students' rowdiness in the shops. Keeping her face hidden in her auror robes, Barbara sat in a quiet corner and requested a steady supply of tea. She took out some books related to her research and her notebook, and went to work.

One of the next people to arrive in the bar was Professor MacDonald. She didn't see Barbara in her corner, and sat in a table in the middle of the room. "Hey, Rosemerta! Long time no see!"

"Mary! How long has it been? Weren't you here with Peter Petigrew the last time I saw you?"

"Two years ago, I guess. Those were different times, difficult times."

"So, Mary, word is out that you tried to duel with an auror last week. What was that like?"

"That piece of fluff? An auror? No way. I was toying with her. The kids needed to see how protective charms work, so I let her have the easy part."

Rosemerta glanced toward Barbara's table. Barbara shrugged and took a sip of her tea with a steady hand.

"Oh is that how it was?" said Rosemerta. "It was described somewhat differently to me, but you know how word travels."

"Yes, exactly. Tell me, Rosemerta, do you know how Merrill and Snape actually ended up married?"

"I couldn't say. They seemed smitten from the first time she came up here, right before last school year started. She never takes his eyes off of him, and he glares at anyone who looks at her funny. It's kind of cute, actually."

"Cute? Are you kidding me? I don't understand how suddenly that man is a hero and all of his evil deeds are forgiven."

"Well, love, the tavern is filling up, and I need to see to the other customers. What'll you have?"

Soon after Professor MacDonald placed her order, a young couple came into the room and sat at a table near Barbara's corner. Barbara recognized Howard and his friend Daphne Gilford. They ordered butterbeers and sat somewhat awkwardly until their drinks came.

"Daphne, there's something I wanted to tell you..." Poor Howard was blushing from his sandy-brown hairline to the collar of his robe.

"Yes?" Daphne was a bit eager and blushing a little, too.

Howard took a deep breath. "I really like you and I was hoping we could, you know, go out?"

Daphne took a deep breath. "Oh, yes! I really like you, too, Howard."

The clasped hands under the table and blushed their way through their butterbeers before paying and leaving. Howard jumped up and offered Daphne his arm. Barbara recognized his trying to do something Severus usually did and smiled.

A while later, the Headmistress came in and sat at Professor MacDonald's table. "You asked me to meet you here, Mary?"

"Thank you for coming, Professor McGonagall. Yes. I wanted to go over some numbers with you, which I find, frankly, disturbing. Here is a list of the detentions I've been giving out since the school year started and, as you see, they are heavily weighted toward the Slytherin House. I think something needs to be done about those Slytherins."

"I already knew about this, Mary. The Deputy Headmaster gives me a report every week on detentions. In fact, all the other professors seem to be giving detentions that are fairly even between houses, while you are remarkably light on Gryffindors and heavy on Slytherins. You might want to consider doing what's best for the students first, and looking at house affiliations second, when it comes to those decisions."

"So Snape has been complaining about me?"

"Hardly, Mary." Minerva's voice got very cool and quiet. "Severus and I know each other well enough by now that he merely needs to present me with the information and allow me to draw appropriate conclusions."

"So you're asking me to baby the Slytherins." Mary's voice became petulant.

"Hardly again, Mary." Now Minerva's voice took on an acerbic edge. "Indeed, if you would like to come to my office and see the reports, you will find that Professors Snape and Merrill have handed out far more detentions than you but that they are more even-handed."

"Are they really so perfect as all that?"

"No, Mary, they are not. They are simply dedicated teachers who delight in their subject matter and in their students. When they make mistakes they try to learn from them. You have not been teaching long, and you may wish to learn something from their example."

"I'm not--" Professor MacDonald saw the look in the Headmistress' eye and nodded, calming her voice down. "I'll do my best, Headmistress."

"I know you will, dear. Now if you'll excuse me..." The Headmistress got up and went to pay for her drink and leave.

Altogether, Barbara learned a great deal by sitting in her quiet corner of the Three Broomsticks. By the time her husband returned, she had filled a page of her notebook with a list of potential scams being thought up and troublemakers to keep an eye upon.

When Professor Snape walked into the room, Barbara threw her hood back and smiled to her husband who walked straight to her table and sat down next to his wife, taking the hand she offered him and kissing it. "Anything to report?" he asked sardonically.

"It's been quite a profitable day, I think," she murmered, showing him her list. "If half of this comes off, we should have enough detentions to be able to finish our clean up Dungeon 4 and perhaps start Dungeon 3 as well."

"I've uncovered or stopped quite a bit of mischief, myself. You know what? It's just mischief, now, too, and nothing particularly malicious. The world is improving."

"And growing up. Our Howard is having a bit of a romance."

"Yes, I discovered him and Daphne in an alleyway, exchanging some kisses." He leaned closer to her. "Other staff members are in town now, and there is something I saw that I wanted to show you, if you would join me."

Barbara packed her bag. Her husband took the bag and then taking her hand within his arm walked her to the doorway where they paused to settle the bill. While standing there and chatting with Rosemerta, he noticed a wand pointed at his wife's back and sent a stinging hex at the hand holding that wand, followed by a chilling glare. Barbara never saw it.

"So what did you want me to see?" asked Barbara after they walked out of the tavern.

Severus smiled down and said, "I'll show you."

Several minutes later, he walked her through the gate of their own garden and sat her down on a bench in the very middle. The garden was in a glory of the reds, yellows and oranges of mid fall and there were even some late roses still in bloom.

"Oh, Severus! This is breathtaking! Do you think we could take some of this with us to the castle?"

They got some clippers and a basket and spent the rest of the afternoon pruning the garden and selecting flowers for their rooms at Hogwarts. Every so often they exchanged some kisses of their own.

* * *

Barbara was just done grading essays and looking at those same flowers when Severus walked into the room several nights later. He'd had a difficult evening, she knew, although she knew he had prevented her from hearing very much of the conversation. The dark glint in his eyes confirmed it. He was angry and... something else... nauseated?

"Don't touch me, I need a shower."

Barbara followed him to the bathroom. "I can help..."

"Please leave it," he said. "I'm not sure I can control myself, and I don't want to end up shagging you against the wall like some trollop when the filth of that man is sticking to me."

There was something in the tone of his voice that made her stop. As she waited, she heard the water running. Then she heard him sob.

She went in. "Severus, what happened?"

"I don't think I can tell you."

"You have to tell me."

"I don't think I can."

"Do I have to come in there?"

She heard him take a tortured breath.

"He really thought he was currying favor with someone important. He actually offered-- Barbara, please don't make me say it."

"You know it will be better if you do."

Another deep breath, another long sigh. "...his stepdaughter. Her father died years ago, her mother in the final battle, here. He wanted to give me his stepdaughter for my _personal_ use in order to gain whatever it is he thinks I can give to him. He said that she's untouched so far, but that if I wanted more experience he would see to it, himself."

"Oh, Severus!"

One more labored breath. "Barbara, he was talking about Carissa Montague. That sweet little girl. I nearly blasted a hole through his black heart." His face came around the shower curtain. "I wanted to destroy him. Barbara, I thought of half a dozen curses I could use to kill him and then turn his body to a small pile of ash. I couldn't hide my revulsion. Worst of all, it's clear that he's going to offer her to someone else as a means to get out of being arrested. Someone will take him up on it."

She came up to him and kissed him. "And you proved you're a completely different sort of man by not vaporizing him on the spot. We'll get her away from that man. We'll bring her home with us, Severus. I know that many other children are abused like this, but this one we can save. If she's truly and orphan and her parents have no relatives..."

His dear, tortured face eased to a more hopeful look. He reached around her neck and kissed her back, pulling her into the shower with him.

They were in bed a little later and drifting off to sleep when he took her hand and kissed it. She smiled at him. "You know," he said, "I regret that I didn't pay more attention to you when we were students." She opened her mouth, but he put his finger on her lips. "Don't say it. I'm more than happy that we found each other now, too. But she reminds me, a little, of you back then. So studious and with those big brown eyes... I wish I had asked you what you were thinking, just once.

"What he suggested, I suddenly felt like he was offering to sell you to me. It was like he was trying to desecrate our wedding night. And then," he put his hand to where he could feel the baby tapping, "I wondered if this precious person were my daughter and if she would ever have a step father so horrible or if any man would treat her like that. Finally I just wanted to protect every female in the world from men such as that one.

"Barbara, I was as seduced by the dark arts as anyone I know, except perhaps the Dark Lord himself... But to lose all sense of what's decent... I couldn't sink to that level of evil."

"Maybe that's why your love affair with the dark arts ended?"

"Maybe that's why," he agreed.

_A/N: So we know the next member of the family, at least her name and a little of her story. Thank you, reviewers! _


	8. The Hearing

_Disclaimer: JKRs people and world with some OCs of mine and some AU situations._

The next weekend was Halloween. As always, the Great Hall was decorated with jack-o-lanterns and real bats. A sumptuous dinner was served on the good dishes and the house ghosts told stories and sang songs.

In the midst of this, a familiar quartet; Harry Potter, Ron and Ginny Weasley, and Hermione Granger; came to the door of the room. Harry came up to the professors' table. "Professor Snape? Were you planning to go to Godric's Hollow, tonight?"

"Not tonight, Harry. Barbara gets pretty tired these days, so our plans were much more quiet." Professor Snape kissed his wife's hand and they shared a smile. "Also, and I hope you don't mind, I find that I've laid certain things in my past to rest, now. I think I have come to peace with your mother."

"Oh, sure, Professor. I understand."

"Oh, wait a minute, though!" Barbara hurried out to where the others were standing. "Hermione, maybe you can help us. Here, come in and sit down for a few minutes." Barbara conjured chairs for the group at the table, and they sat. "It's about one of our students."

Severus and Barbara leaned forward and quietly outlined the situation with Carissa. "So we need to find a legal way to keep him away from her and keep him from making binding decisions for her until she comes of age in two or three years. Don't look over there!" Barbara said as their gazes strayed to the Hufflepuff table. "She has no idea we're working on this. "Hermione, can you make this happen? We want to obtain legal guardianship so she will have a proper chance."

"I'll look into it, Professor," said Hermione. "I think I know how to start. I'll let you know this week."

"Thank you, Hermione," said Barbara gratefully.

Severus stood as his former students did. "Have a good evening." As they walked out the door, Severus leaned down. "My dear, I have something to discuss with Professor MacDonald. Do you mind if I leave you for a moment?"

"Not at all," she said, smiling up at him.

"It will just be a minute." He kissed her hand and walked toward the other end of the table.

"Professor MacDonald, I would like a word."

"Say what you like," she replied, absently rubbing her right hand with her left.

"I can't help noting that you seem to be injured. I expected that you would know the proper soothing charm for a basic stinging hex."

She turned beet red and her eyes narrowed. "You know it wasn't a basic stinging hex."

"Ah, that's right. Listen to me, Mary. Twice I have seen you aim your wand at my wife's back. I did nothing the first time and the second time I let you off with a warning. You will not be so lucky the third time."

"Does your wife know you go around handing out threats?"

"You obviously haven't crossed her when someone she loves is in danger. I wouldn't advise it, actually. I've seen her threaten her best friend in the world and it wasn't pretty. Very effective, but not pretty. I've also seen what happens to people who attack her or her loved ones."

"Oh?"

"One is dead and another in Azkaban."

MacDonald pondered. "So not her back, huh? What if I aim at her from the front?"

"We shall have to operate on a case by case basis. I wouldn't advise that either, though, based upon your previous experience. At any rate, Mary, I am willing to accept that the unpleasantness between us is due to house rivalries or something like that. It's quickly becoming tiresome, however."

He muttered a charm and then turned on his heel. Mary felt the sting in her hand ease as she watched him walk back to his wife. Her eyes took on a feral glint.

"Are you ready to go, my dear?"

"Certainly, Severus. Whatever did you say to Mary? She looks mad enough to explode."

"We were just discussing some extracurricular activities."

* * *

Midweek, Severus was encouraging Barbara to eat her breakfast when an owl arrived for them from Hermione Granger.

_Dear Professors,_

_Regarding the matter we discussed:_

_There's a clause about family members who intend to harm a minor being removed from guardianship. It should be easily resolved, but there's already a hearing scheduled this coming Monday. It seems that the step father has already taken steps to transfer her guardianship to someone else. I have spoken with my study advisor, who will oversee your petition, but you need to be at that hearing to block the other petition._

_Sincerely,  
__Hermione Granger_

Barbara pushed her plate away completely. "That doesn't leave us much time."

Severus pulled her plate back in front of her. "You've barely eaten enough for yourself, let alone for my son in there."

"I thought you'd decided last week that it's a daughter."

"Either way, the child needs you to eat."

"A child who is crowding me so much that I can't feel hungry. Now this...I just can't eat when I think about it."

He took her hand and looked into her eyes. "Barbara, we will get through this. The first thing we need to do is make sure Carissa even wants us to interfere. Don't you have fourth year potions today?"

"Yes, right before lunch."

"Keep her after class and we'll have a private lunch with her. Barbara, we can work through this, a step at a time. Just like the lengthy research we recently had published."

Barbara looked into his eyes and nodded. "You're right. When did you get to be the optimistic one?"

"The instant you became my wife." He was rewarded by a soft smile and a flash of dimples.

He helped her up and walked her to the stairs, kissing her hand as usual. "Until lunchtime, dear lady."

* * *

"You needed to see me, Professor?" Carissa Montague was nervous.

Barbara smiled at her. "It's not anything awful, Carissa. Professor Snape and I wanted to talk to you over lunch."

Lunch was set out on the table in Barbara's office.

Professor Snape came in and took his wife's outstretched hand, kissing her forehead. "Severus..."

"We're mostly private," he responded.

They started eating their lunch, asking Carissa questions about her studies and how she enjoyed Hogwarts. As she grew comfortable with them, they started asking questions about her family. Her grandparents were all dead and she repeated what they already knew about her parents. By the time they got to dessert, it was time to get down to the reason they had asked her to lunch.

"Carissa, there's something I have to tell you," said Barbara. "This is all leading to something, but I think you should know this first. I was in the group of aurors who were fighting your mother and her friends when she died."

"But you didn't kill her, Professor, did you?" Carissa was looking from one Professor to the other.

"I'll never know for sure, Carissa. I've never used a curse that could kill someone outright, but upon occasion I've rebounded killing curses and some people have died when that has happened. There were curses and hexes flying everywhere that night and the forensics were just never firmly determined. I need you to know about this.

"I regret when I am involved in anyone's death. As an auror, I sometimes find it unavoidable. My hope that night was to somehow incapacitate the people fighting against us, not to kill. Upon occasion, though, people have died. I'm so sorry that your mother was one of them."

"Thank you professor. My mom...she was a really sweet mom and all, but she changed when my dad died and then I came to Hogwarts. She married that man and after that I stayed here as much as I could or at friends' houses. He hit me whenever he could, and mom got really odd to be around, just doing whatever he said."

"Imperius curse," murmured Professor Merrill.

"Sounds like it," agreed Professor Snape.

"Anyhow, she wasn't really like my mom any more. I wasn't really sorry that she was gone...she was already gone. I'm just sorry that it left me alone with him all the time. He's really creepy."

"I hope you don't have to learn the half of it," said Professor Snape. "You know he was arrested last week?" The girl nodded. "We also want you to know that I was there. I helped them arrest him."

"Oh, thank you, professor!" Carissa jumped up. "Now I don't have to be with him any more!" She sat back down. "But where do I go?"

"That's what we wanted to talk to you about," smiled Barbara. "How would you like to live with us here in Hogsmeade, and with Alice and Howard Prewett?"

"It seems like a dream come true! Of course I would like it." Barbara stood to hug the girl. "We'll make arrangements for that, then. It's going to take some doing, depending upon how your mom left things, but we'll sort it all out."

Severus started speaking. "We need to work very quickly. Your step father had some plans for you already in mind and the hearing is on Monday. You will probably need to go to that. Meanwhile, we would like to make sure you get along with Alice and Howard. Come to our apartment for dinner, tonight."

Carissa gathered up her books and walked to the door, almost in a daze. "Carissa!" She turned around to face Barbara. "Be careful what you say between now and Monday. We are a little worried about your step father and what he might try to do. Let's keep this quiet as much as we can."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you, so much."

Barbara stared at the door that closed behind her. "If I hurry, I can get an owl to London before the Ministry closes..."

"You write, and I'll run it up to send it."

Barbara sat down and took out stationery.

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_Regarding the situation we have discussed, proceed with all haste, but with as much discretion as possible. Please contact us with information about anything else we need to do._

_Please know that we appreciate you assistance._

_Sincerely,  
__Barbara Snape_

* * *

"We like her," said Howard after Carissa left for the Hufflepuff common room.

"So you agree that she should be part of our family, now?" Barbara asked.

"Oh, yes!" said Alice. "I always wanted a sister."

Severus told her, "You may have several by the time we're done."

"That's okay."

"Hey, what about brothers?" asked Howard.

"We expect there will be some of those, too," smiled Barbara.

* * *

Monday came, and several people met in the Headmistress' office from where they would floo to the Ministry. A nervous-looking Carissa was accompanied by Professor Sprout, her house head. Barbara and Severus followed. After arriving and being checked in, they were sent to a hearing room on level one.

After allowing plenty of time for Pomona and Carissa to enter and get settled, Barbara and Severus went in. Severus paid attention to getting himself and his wife seated at the large conference table. He heard his wife muttering what sounded at first like an incantation until he realized that Barbara had a whole vocabulary he had never fathomed.

"Dear lady," he murmured into her ear, "you will not give them reason to be kindly disposed to us..." the rest of Severus' comment was cut off as he realized his wife was staring straight at Dolores Umbridge. "Ah, I quite understand, but perhaps you should refrain from using such language...?" He caught her eye and she sighed and was silent.

"This hearing will come to order!" Griselda Marchbanks knocked a gavel on the table and the various small conversations in the room stopped. "It's my understanding that this meeting is to establish the guardianship of the underage witch, Carissa Montague. Is this correct?"

"Yes, Ma'am," said a clerk.

"As I see before me, there are two petitions. You are quite a popular young lady, Miss Montague. Have you met all of the petitioners?"

"I know Professor Snape and Professor Merrill, of course, Ma'am, but I haven't met the other people at all."

Chairwoman Marchbanks looked at the other members. "Are the other petitioners here? No?"

"Hem-hem...I'm here to speak on behalf of Mr. Hammond, Madam Chairwoman." Umbridge stated. "This party was selected by the stepfather and is quite qualified."

"What sort of life would he offer the child?"

"He lives in a flat in London and works here at the Ministry."

"So the stepfather has asked us to place a young girl with a single man?"

"He's qualified."

"I see. Moving on to the other petition. Severus and Barbara Snape..." She looked over her glasses at them. "I remember you! Quite impressive OWLs and NEWTs, as I recall. You two married? You know, I shall have to live another twenty years to see how your children take their OWLs and NEWTs... So, what sort of home life can you offer?"

Severus replied, "As you can see in our petition, we own a well-sized house in Hogsmeade with a large yard, we are currently the guardians of a brother and sister who are also orphans and who get along well with Miss Montague, and as everyone sees, we are expecting a baby this winter. We are also in a good position to assume financial responsibility for the children in our household.

"Hem...Hem..."

"Do you have a question, Dolores?"

"Yes. It's my understanding that Professor Snape had a conversation about Miss Montague with her step father two weeks ago. Could he summarize the discussion for us?"

"Excuse me, but I would prefer that Carissa not hear this," said Barbara. "This is not the proper subject matter for a 14 year old girl, if you would look at our petition."

Griselda Marchbanks glanced at the Snapes petition and blanched. "Yes, I agree with Mrs. Snape. Miss Montague, you may go have a seat in the waiting area. Pomona, you should go with her." After the two left the room she looked at Severus. "If you would continue, Professor?"

"Yes." Severus told them about the conversation he had with Carissa's step father.

"Hem," began Dolores, "Professor, that does not agree with the statements given by the step father. He avers that you requested to have Miss Montague turned over to you and failing in your efforts, are now attempting this avenue."

Barbara Snape stood and looked into every face in the room.

"Have you anything to add, Mrs. Snape?"

"I do. I have to say that the suggestions just made are completely outside of anything my husband would do."

Dolores smiled obliquely. "Well, dear, men have certain needs..."

"Yes, Dolores, as a married woman, I suspect I know that at least as well as you," Barbara said dryly, "and clearly my husband cannot stand to touch me." As if to emphasize the irony of her statement, Barbara's hands were clasped over the top of her middle, drawing attention to her pregnancy. Several people in the room chuckled.

Dolores would not let it go. "But given your condition, it must be difficult..."

Barbara turned and looked in her husband's eyes, finding a very inventive suggestion which made her blush.

"Let's just say that accommodating my condition hasn't been a problem, Dolores." This produced even more chuckles.

Umbridge took on a sour look and ruffled some papers. "If you say so. I have here another report, Madam Chairwoman..." She handed it over.

The chairwoman looked over the report and asked, "Barbara, can you describe the nature of your finances?

"Yes. We are both professors at Hogwarts School. It's not the most lucrative position in the world, but more than adequate for our basic needs. We also have residual income from potions registered to our names. Meanwhile, I have a small muggle inheritance from my parents and a fairly substantial legacy from some other relatives. Our finances are not inexhaustible, but more than adequate to provide for the children we have taken in and hope to bear. You will find information on that subject attached to our petition."

Dolores jumped in again. "You say other relatives? Hem, hem...Who might they be?"

"Dolores, you're hopelessly uninformed these days. It was even all over the _Daily Prophet_. My father was an heir of the Lestrange family estate." Barbara was rewarded by Umbridge opening and closing her mouth several times without even a "Hem."

"Thank you professor." Barbara sat down. Chairwoman Marchbanks pulled out one last folder. "It appears the Minister of Magic is interested in this case, too. He vouches for the Snapes here. He also provides records of Mr. Hammond, indicating that he has been disciplined three times for making suggestive comments to female assistants. Dolores, do you really think a fourteen year old girl should be exposed to this?"

Umbridge sputtered. "Those records were sealed."

"Apparently the Minister decided they should be opened, given the nature of the case," responded the Chairwoman. "I think the board is ready to vote now. Our three options are to accept the Hammon petition, the Snape petition, or to postpone making a decision until a later meeting..."

_A/N: Thank you to the readers who have taken the time to stop by, and double to the reviewers, who have taken the time to tell me what they think!_

_This was a hard chapter to get a handle on. I was a bit concerned about keeping Umbridge at the Ministry, but I suspect she's the sort of person who can wriggle out of accusations and just about survive anything..._


	9. A Sad Anniversary

_Disclaimer: JKR's world and people, with some OCs and AU plotlines_

Howard and Alice Prewett were studying in the Slytherin common room and trying not to look too often at the clock.

"Do we want them to take a long time or a short one?" asked Alice.

Howard pondered the question. "I don't really know. Aunt Barbara was pretty worried. Our hearing was very short, but no one else wanted us, really. I heard her say something about there being another request for Carissa and it frightened her. I think Carissa might be in some danger."

"Well, it's already been a medium time, so if we wanted short, we're out of luck."

"I'm sure Aunt Barbara and Uncle Severus can do almost anything. Minister Shacklebolt will help, too."

They had put most of their books back in their dorm room trunks when their house head walked in. Uncle Severus had a face that was hard to read.

"Come with me," he said curtly. Leaving their books, they followed him into the hall where Aunt Barbara was properly smiling for the first time in days, standing with Carissa, who was smiling shyly.

"Alice, Howard, you need to welcome the new member of our family!" she said.

The three kids hugged and congratulated each other while Barbara and Severus looked on smiling.

Severus saw lines of exhaustion around Barbara's eyes and decided it was time end the celebration in the hallway. "OK, everyone, bring your books and come study with us this afternoon. We'll celebrate properly over dinner."

* * *

The celebration continued for a while. Barbara and Alice insisted on taking Carissa shopping on Saturday to take care of the neglect her wardrobe had seen in the past years. During the school week the kids got together at every opportunity. When Hufflepuff played Gryffindor at Quidditch, Alice and Howard sat with Carissa in the Hufflepuff section. On Sunday afternoons, the students came and had a family dinner with the Snapes, an indulgence the Headmistress allowed under the circumstances.

The first break in the family joy was another contact for Severus to go meet with Death Eaters. "I can cancel this one if you'd rather," he said. "I should be with you." This particular night was the anniversary of the death of Barbara's parents.

"No, I shouldn't keep you from your duty," she said. "I was going to look through old family pictures, and tryst with them in that way."

When the time came, she kissed him, and watched him down the hall. Then she sat on a sofa and started looking at family pictures, setting some aside that she wanted for a special album. Some of the pictures made her smile while others made her sad.

Severus had a difficult evening but not too difficult, and he came into the sitting room absently munching a Honeydukes chocolate bar to find his wife kneeling on the floor with her head on the couch. As he walked across the room, he saw her shoulders heave in a deep sob. He knelt next to her and pulled her into his arms. She was very cold.

"Barbara, what happened? Are you all right?"

"I was looking at pictures and then I was watching you. Suddenly it got so cold, and then the world was so empty, and Severus...my parents are dead. They were tortured and then they were killed..." She was shaking with the chill and her tears.

Realizing what had happened, Severus broke up his chocolate bar and started popping bits of it into Barbara's mouth. She chewed and swallowed the chocolate without thinking. Then he stood and lifted her onto her feet. He pulled her into his arms and cradled her head as he had done the year before, where she warmed up and relaxed into his embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Barbara. I regret that I missed meeting your parents by so little." He placed kisses on her forehead, all along her hairline.

"Barbara...the day you learned of your parents death was the first time I held you like this, the first time I had someone of my very own to care for and comfort. Let me comfort you...?"

"Oh, yes." She reached her head up and kissed him with ardor.

"Dear lady, that's not what I meant."

"It's what I mean. Severus..."

"I don't want to take advantage of you."

"A year ago, before we belonged to one another, it would have been taking advantage, although I probably would have, anyway. Tonight it's a married couple sharing the comfort of our marriage bed. Severus... I need this..."

He kissed her then, gently, and led her to their bed where he started by kissing the tears on her face.

* * *

"I miss them," she said later.

He pulled her close. "I'm so very sorry for that."

"I know, and it's not that our life isn't completely wonderful. I just have moments of wishing they could see it, you, the kids, our baby. I want them to see how wonderful it is. I know they would be glad."

"As I wish my parents could see, although more to show them that I can be happy in spite of my childhood."

"Oh, Severus..." She put her hand to the side of his face.

"Shhh...it's fine, my love. I really don't need to show anyone anything. I have you to make me complete."

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged as tightly as the baby would allow.

He remembered something.

"Barbara... what form does your patronus take?"

She sighed and reached for her wand from her nightstand. In an instant, a silvery she-bear was circling the room.

"'Mama Bear.' I should have realized. It suits you."

"Kingsley thought it was funny. Why do you ask?"

"_Expecto Patronem!_" The mate to her patronus started prowling the room as well. Together they went out a window that was ajar and vanished.

"That's not..."

"No, it seems that yet another part of my life is completely different than it used to be."

"Are you sad about it?"

"In a way, it's another loss, but it also separates me further from a past with so much wrong to it. I should have anticipated the change, though. It should not have taken me by surprise tonight."

"It's not as though you've had endless leisure time to contemplate it."

"No, I haven't." The corners of his mouth twitched at that.

They snuggled closer, again.

"Severus?"

"Yes, my dearest?"

"How came you to be casting a patronus tonight?" She sat up, putting it all together. "Oh, my absent, pregnant mind. You faced dementors tonight."

He pulled her back down into his embrace. "You have a brilliant, capable mind. It's just a bit distracted, perhaps. And it seems you faced the same dementors. I'm a bit worried about that."

"Hmmm... now that I know how it works, I can protect myself."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'll be fine, now." _Except that I'll be worried about you._

* * *

The following Saturday was that of the Ravenclaw--Slytherin Quidditch game and a bit of a grudge match for the heads of those two houses. Since the bet, of grading each others' winter tests, had worked so well the year before they chose those stakes again.

"I wish you wouldn't insist on coming." Severus had his arm right around his wife to help her. It must be said that she didn't mind and took more advantage of it than strictly necessary.

"It's not up for discussion, Severus. I'm not missing this match. Oh, excuse me, Mary."

That witch didn't even look up. She was looking into the stands with tears in her eyes. "What we've done...what you've missed. Was it worth it?" she murmured.

Barbara would have turned to speak, but her husband guided her to the staircase. "I think your team might have a chance, but I still think Slytherin is too good.

"I agree," Barbara panted as they went up the stairs. "The Ravenclaw beaters are very good, but Slytherin still has the better seeker."

Severus got his wife seated as comfortably as possible. He took her hands and looked into her eyes, helping her to relax and catch her breath.

"I shouldn't have let you come. You will be completely worn out."

"I'm just pregnant. Witches have been doing this all along, you know."

"It's never been my wife, before," said Severus. "How did your visit with Poppy go, yesterday?"

"Didn't I tell you? She said I'm fine."

"Barbara, I can tell that she said something else."

"She just said that she had a colleague that she would have visit after Christmas. There was one minor thing she wasn't sure about, but it's been years since she's had the occasion to practice midwifery."

"Is there a problem?"

"She said it wasn't a problem."

"So why does she want--"

"I don't know and I'm not going to worry about it, and Severus, there goes the quaffle." There was no speaking to Barbara about anything important after a game started.

* * *

He loved to watch her grade papers and tests and took an admittedly impish delight when she was grading his students' tests. He could almost tell whose test she was grading by the way she reacted to everything on the parchment. She could no longer curl up in the chair closest to the fire but it was still her chair. An ottoman had been added so that she could put her feet up. Her knitting was in a basket beside her and the firelight lent a glow to her face.

It was a warm, homey scene, and he needed to ruin it. He let her finish the second years' DADA exams and took them over to his desk. He came back to sit on the ottoman and started rubbing her ankles.

"Barbara, we need to get serious about finding your substitute. It's hardly more than a month away."

"You have a suggestion, Mr. Deputy Headmaster." She could see that much in his eyes, although he was shielding the actual name from her. "Well, let's have it."

"An excellent potion brewer, who's currently available."

"Severus..." He wasn't improving the situation by drawing it out.

"Draco Malfoy."

"You've got to be kidding. You want _whom_ to substitute for me?" Barbara pulled her feet from his grasp and put them on the floor.

"I thought you like Draco."

"Who once called me a mudblood and now thinks of me as just another piece of your plan to lead the Slytherins to rise up again?"

"He doesn't truly think or want any of that. He's listening to his father, who hasn't been quite right since his stint in Azkaban. Draco needs to do something besides study dark magic at his parents' house. He needs to see what the world is really like. If we give him the chance to change his mind, he may yet do so."

"If seven years here didn't change that..."

"It was a different culture here then. If he comes now, he will be forced to change in order to teach the students."

"I cannot believe Minerva will go along with this."

"She's already agreed to it."

"Do you think he would actually come?"

"We spoke about him teaching when he was a student."

"He was on orders to kill the Headmaster..."

"Which he couldn't carry out and which, you may recall, I did. More than that, do you recall that he saved my life?"

She looked stricken and rushed at him. He caught her and pulled her head to his chest. Then he undid her hair, burying his face in it for a moment before resting his chin on her head.

She could hear the beating of his heart, a sound that she often found greatly soothing. A sound that she might never have heard without Draco Malfoy.

Once in a while it galled her to think of how her husband was so rarely wrong about anything. She knew that if Draco went too far out of line, Severus would rein him in. Severus could be trusted and by extension some one he trusted could be, as well.

Barbara sighed. Her husband's accurate judgment might gall her occasionally, but she knew she depended upon it, too. "You win. We owe him a great deal."

"Do you know what it does to me when you change your mind like that?" She lifted her face to his and he kissed her forehead. "You give me your trust in the palm of your hand."

"Always," she whispered.

"I'm as powerful as any Slytherin could dream of being right this minute." He lifted her face to kiss her. "So you will send him an owl?"

"Can you hand me some stationery and a quill with black ink?"

"Along with my love."

_A/N: Thank you, reviewers!_


	10. Christmas Holidays

_Disclaimer: JKRs world and mostly her characters, with some OCs and AU plot that I have added._

The Snape family went to the Hogsmeade house as soon as the Christmas holidays started. For just about the whole household, it was the first time they had looked forward to the holiday with no concerns at all. They spent their days shopping in Hogsmeade, sharing secrets and preparing for a Christmas party.

The day of the party was a rather trying one for Severus. Barbara had specific orders to sit on the couch with her feet up, but every time her husband turned around he found her climbing up a step ladder or pushing heavy furniture. That meant that he had to stop what he was doing to sit her back down.

Finally, Severus was completely exasperated. "Barbara, there are seven other people in this house who would be happy to do the things you are trying to do. Will you please sit down and let us do them?"

"How do I know you will do it right?" she answered.

"Why are you so sure we'll do it wrong?"

"I just want things done right."

"Barbara, if you get off that couch again, I'm going to jinx you to it," Severus said.

She just looked up at him then, her brown eyes growing big and sad. He sat down next to her and held her hands.

"Don't do that, Barbara..." He looked away from her face. "Barbara, you're killing me. Please, just sit here and tell us how to do it."

"I don't think I can tell you. I need to show you, and then it will be done and you won't have to do it." She looked so winsome at that point that there was nothing to do. He was learning to recognize this mood and be grateful that it alternated with a more practical one. Holding her hand, he walked her up the stairs and into the bedroom, trusting that the teens and the elves would finish the decorating without them.

"Do you know how adorable you are, looking at me like that, and with the braid down your back?" Severus asked.

"And the swollen ankles and everything else?" she responded with a twisted smile.

"Do you mean the ankles that wouldn't be quite so swollen if you would sit down and put your feet up? Yes, you are adorable with all of that."

"I need to get the decorating done."

"As far as you're concerned, it is done. You're going to spend the rest of the afternoon in bed."

"You can't make me."

"Oh, no?" He was unfastening her robes and kissing her neck. "I think I can find a way to occupy your time."

"Way to take one for the team."

"I thought you would appreciate my efforts...Oh...Barbara..."

It seemed that she had found some clothes to unfasten, too.

* * *

Kingsley was the first person to arrive at the party, along with a date named Kendra and several aurors. "Where's Barbara?"

Severus sighed and shook his head. "She's on the couch. You can't miss her, she's so beautiful tonight. If you see her any place else, make sure she goes back. It's so close to her time and she's supposed to keep her feet up..." He shook his head again.

"Not making it easy?"

"I may need you as bonder for an Unbreakable Vow."

Kingsley's laugh preceded him into the sitting room. "Barbara, this is Kendra." Barbara stood to shake hands. "Oh, no, you're supposed to stay seated. I've been given orders."

"But Kingsley, you're the Minister. Can't you do something about my husband?"

"Not when what he's doing is trying to take care of you. Sit down and behave yourself. Stop making it so hard for the poor man."

"Can you sit next to me and tell me all the Ministry gossip?"

"That I can do." They chatted for several minutes. Kendra listened but didn't really say much, even when Kingsley specifically asked her something. Barbara didn't have many hopes for this one.

Carissa came in and shyly went to stand by Barbara, handing her some juice to drink. Kingsley shook her hand. "I'm very glad to meet you, Miss Montague."

Barbara said to her, "You can run into the kitchen for something to eat, if you're hungry. Howard and Alice, too." After the girl was gone, Barbara leaned forward and asked, "What has happened with her step father?"

"He's in Azkaban, but not forever. We'll be able to keep him there until she's at least of age, but I'm not sure how long after that."

"That will be long enough"

"He was trying to make deals and scams the whole way there. A thoroughly slimy person all around."

Barbara shuddered.

Kingsley decided to change the subject. "So tell me about my godchild. Do we know if it's a boy or girl yet?"

"Hmmm...we'll find out in about three weeks, and I told you that you're not the godparent until his or her father survives the birth. Poppy says that everything is fine but that I should put my feet up when I can. _Certain people_ have interpreted that as needing to sit every minute of the day."

Kingsley laughed and stood. "I can see that I should be mingling, and there are some people here waiting to talk to you. Be a good girl and sit still. I don't want to get in trouble with your husband any more than I want to get in trouble with you, Mama Bear."

* * *

Minerva sat by Barbara next. "Barbara, dear, this is a lovely party."

"Are you sure you don't mind being stuck sitting with me?"

"Oh, no, this the best place to be. It's certainly better than being trapped under the mistletoe with Elphias Doge."

"Oh, no! I'm so sorry!"

"It's not your fault, dear. He does it every year, and you know," Minerva leaned over, "I don't mind it the first once or twice..."

"Minerva!" Barbara acted shocked.

"Well, we're not all happily married, dear." Barbara looked up and saw that her husband was smiling at her. She smiled back. Minerva spoke again. "I'm going to change the subject. When does Professor Malfoy arrive?"

"He is acceptable to you?"

"Quite. I think in the absence of certain rivalries he will do well."

"He is supposed to come when the term starts back up. I think he will probably start right in, too. I will be in the class room, of course, until I can't be, but between you and me, I'm just not able to concentrate properly any more."

Minerva patted her hand. "Quite understandable, dear. It will come back."

"Thank you, Minerva."

"I'm sure there are others who wish for my spot beside you. I need to get back to the school, anyhow. Have a good holiday, Barbara."

"You, too, Minerva."

Barbara watched Minerva wander off toward the door and then craned her neck to see if she could find Severus in the crowd. She turned and looked at the door to the kitchen. She really ought to see how things were going out there. She had stood and was walking around the couch when a voice apprehended her from behind.

"Nice try, Madam, but you're not allowed in there. Now sit back down."

"Severus! Where have you been?"

"I've been watching you plan your escape. I must say that pregnancy is really bringing out the Slytherin in you." His arm stole around her and he guided her back.

"I'm getting so tired of sitting there. Can't I get up for a few minutes just to stretch out?"

"Where would you like to go?"

"I want to go to the kitchen to make sure everything is going well out there."

"That's off limits for you."

"Well, there's one place I really ought to visit..."

"Where?" She made a face and he said, "Aha. Well, go ahead."

As he had suspected, she didn't take the most direct route back to the couch. He caught up with her under the archway between sitting room and dining room, clearly on a path to the kitchen. It was also one of the places where mistletoe had been hung.

He put his hand on her shoulder. "Barbara..." She started and looked up with a guilty face.

He took advantage of the opportunity to kiss her. She used her pent-up energy to deepen the kiss. His hands moved down her back while hers looped around his neck and she raised herself on tiptoe. The were brought back to awareness by the clapping of their guests. Barbara blushed and looked down. Severus slid his arm around his wife and cleared his throat.

"Since we have your attention," he began as several people chuckled, "Barbara and I wanted to welcome you to our home and thank you for sharing your holiday with us." Nod handed him a glass of wine and he raised it. "Merry Christmas, everyone."

The guests all raised their glasses and repeated, "Merry Christmas."

The arm around Barbara was firm as it led her back to the couch. "Is there anything I can get you to eat or drink, Mrs. Snape?" She shook her head. "Let me see if I can find someone to entertain you better."

"Severus, Poppy said I was perfectly fine."

"And I intend to keep you that way. She impressed upon me the need for you to rest." He looked around. "Potter! Come say hello to Barbara." The younger man came over. "Barbara was saying that she wished she knew how the last Dumbledore's Army meeting went. I understand you were present. Please describe it to her." As Harry sat down, Snape whispered in his ear, "See if you can keep her seated. We're trying to keep her from exhausting herself." With that the host went to greet some late-comers.

Harry gave a nervous look to Barbara. "He's being overprotective again, and he can't deduct house points from you or give you detention." she explained.

"Perhaps I should tell you how the meeting went," said Harry, looking toward his host worriedly.

"I've already heard all about it from Howard, of course," answered Barbara, "but tell me, was Professor MacDonald really so nice to everyone?"

"Actually, she was quite pleasant. I was surprised from what I had heard. She loved the pictures we passed around. Colin Creevey; you know, Dennis' brother; used to take pictures all the time and Dennis' parents sent a bunch that had recently been developed. They were from the early days of the DA. Professor MacDonald looked over every picture and there was one that she just loved. She actually teared up when she looked at it."

"Who was in that picture?"

"Our class of Gryffindors, mostly. Ron, Neville, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Hermione, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil...me..."

"Quite interesting. So what did you teach them, and what are your plans for the next couple of months?" After Harry had spoken for a few minutes, they were joined by Ginny Weasley, and then Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

Barbara caught up with their doings and was startled to discover after a while that the party was over and her husband was leaning down to lift her to her feet and guide her up the stairs.

_A/N: Thank you, kind reviewers!_

_I have to say that the wierdest part of pregnancy is the one where I start to lose my mind and get fixated on things that end up being silly._


	11. Christmas

_Disclaimer: JKR's world and people, except for a couple of OCs and tendency to stray into AU._

Barbara sat on her bed. She had managed to get her nightgown on but was too tired to remember what came next. She sat and watched her tummy, as the baby kicked and pushed into a new position and then decided to try a different position after that.

"You're not sleeping yet." Her husband was leaning in the doorway.

"Is everything buttoned up, downstairs?"

"Well enough that I sent everyone, including the elves, to bed. Itsy will probably get back up and putter around some more. She was horrified by the stain Fletcher left on the carpet by the fireplace. I told her it could wait, but there's only so much I can do with her... " He came in and sat next to her, putting his arm around her.

"You were right again." She looked up at him ruefully.

"How gratifying. What about, this time?"

"I never would have made it through the party if you hadn't made me rest so much today. As it was, I think I was nodding off by the end. Did Amos Diggory really come over and put his arms around Harry Potter?"

Severus nodded. "Indeed, he did. I think he was well lit by the time he arrived. His wife took him home by floo, so I'm sure he made it home all right."

"Amos has always been so sober around the Ministry..."

"Christmas is hard for people who have suffered great losses. Cedric had such promise..." Severus put his other arm around his wife. "Last Christmas was the first one I wanted to celebrate since childhood, myself."

She rested her head under his chin. Whatever did you and all those order people talk about in your office?"

"Not much. Talking over what we've been doing this fall, that sort of thing." He looked at her carefull, but she was on a different train of thought, now. She was trying to concentrate on something.

She finally remembered. "I know we like a quieter life, but I'm glad we had this party. I realize you don't like to be around such large crowds and I surrounded you with people tonight. Ministry friends, everyone from the school, the order... Poor dear! You held up admirably, even turning that awkward moment under the mistletoe into a toast to our guests."

"I didn't find it awkward. We weren't quite as obvious as Molly and Arthur, either. He pulled her under every bit of mistletoe we had, and even conjured up some of his own. Did you see them over by your office? It was quite instructive. I thought Percy was going to be sick." Barbara giggled.

"But you and I? Under the mistletoe? It wasn't awkward at all." He squeezed her tighter. "It reminded me of our wedding. Once again I was standing next to the most lovely lady in the room. It would have been wrong not to kiss you." He watched her blush and tilted her face up to look into her eyes. "A very tired lady by the looks of it. Why aren't you well asleep, yet?"

"I cannot remember if I've brushed my teeth."

"Very tired indeed." He kissed her. "Hm...toothpaste. It appears you have brushed your teeth, so in you go." He pulled down the covers for her and propped her pillows up, getting her situated and giving her one last kiss before lowering the lights.

She said it quietly, "I love you, Severus Snape." It was almost a sigh of contentment.

By the time he had prepared for bed and slid beside her, she was already asleep. He adjusted the bedclothes and found a comfortable position near her so that he could feel the baby moving in the night.

* * *

"Merry Christmas."

"Hmm... Merry Hmm..."

Something was tickling her ear. "Barbara..."

"Are the kids up?"

"Any minute."

She opened her eyes. He was handing her a Christmas rose. "So fragile and lovely. Wherever did you find it?"

"There's a sheltered place between the hedge and the house. I've been watching them come up all week."

Barbara sat up. "Merry Christmas to you, too."

They each handed the other a small box. Barbara's held the key to a door. "Severus? What does this open?"

"I doubt you'll use it much, but it works the door right there." As he pointed, she saw a door appear in the wall, connecting to the next room.

Barbara got up and put on her dressing gown. Opening the door, she found the nursery, completely done up for the new baby. Along with a crib, changing table, and dresser, there was a daybed and a rocking chair near a window that looked out toward the school. The linens were all done in shades of blue and green. The walls were painted in blue and green as well, with a border of bears walking in between. Severus followed in his dressing gown, stealing up behind her and sliding his arms as far as they would go around her middle.

"We'll be in trouble if this little one is a Gryffindor or Hufflepuff," she laughed.

"I plan to train them all young," He responded. I thought you might want the bed if the late night feedings are burdensome..."

"You may well be right," said Barbara. "We will have to see how it goes, of course. It's nice to have everything so well prepared. Thank you, Severus." She slid her arms up around her husband's neck, kissing him until some forceful thumping pushed them apart. "I guess you had better open your box."

He found a key, as well, although not a key to a door. He looked at her curiously.

"Go look in your office." She said.

He helped her down the stairs. Going into his office, he found an enormous antique desk of highly polished mahogany. When he slid the key into the lock, he found that he could open the drawers, but he also found indications that there may be some extra compartments.

"This is exactly what I wanted. How did you find it? We looked everywhere last summer."

"I had some shopkeepers looking for me. This was part of an estate sale in London. In one of those drawers is a list of the secret compartments the dealer could find, but he wasn't sure he had them all."

"Aha. Something to entertain myself with during those weeks after the baby comes and our lessons are on hiatus."

She put her arms around him. "The baby hasn't come, yet."

"No, but I hear some footsteps on the stairs."

The next few hours involved the tearing of wrapping paper and shouts and shrieking, mingled with pleas from Bitsy for everyone to eat. By the time everyone was done, paper was all over the sitting room, gifts were everywhere, and Itsy was running franticly around, trying to clean everything up.

After a good lunch, the kids were bundled up and sent outside, each wearing scarf and mittens knit in house colors by Barbara. She would have joined them, but Severus made her stay inside.

"I'm not an invalid, you know."

"No, you're just delightfully absorbed in the process of motherhood. Please admit that you're not as steady on your feet, and you get tired and cold so easily these days." She gave him a look. "I'm sorry, dear lady, but your death glare doesn't work on me today. Come sit down."

He brought her into his office and set her on an easy chair in front of French doors that looked out into the back garden where the kids were making snowmen. He puttered around with his desk for a few minutes but then came over to where she was sitting. The easy chair became a love seat and Barbara was soon within her husband's arms, watching Howard as he helped Carissa put the head on a tall snowman.

"I thought last Christmas was the happiest one of my life," said Severus, "but this one is even better. I'd never truly enjoyed the season before in my life."

Barbara looked at him, then, concern in her face. "Not even when you were younger?"

"No, my parents always argued so much. There were a few times I was invited over to the Evans', but that was pretty awkward. Of course after that...Christmas as a Death Eater is not a Merry time whatsoever. Pretty gruesome, actually."

"I'm so sorry." She held her hand against the side of his face. "I wish I could make it up to you."

"Ah, my charming professor of joy, you do make it up to me. This is what we were fighting for. You, me, those children out there, this baby." He kissed her. "Think of what we've given those kids. What have their last few Christmases been like?"

"They've stayed at the school, for the most part."

"That last year...I should have found a way to give them all a proper Christmas, but if I had..."

"You might not have lived long enough to be next to that willow tree on the morning after the battle. None of this would be here, and Barbara Merrill would be a tired, frustrated Ministry employee rather than the blissfully happy Barbara Snape she is now. I'm glad that you were able to keep them all alive. And yourself." She reached up to kiss him. They sat quietly for a while, their hands interlaced with each other and clasped over her belly.

"Severus..."

"Hmmm?" He was tasting her neck, just under her ear.

"Do you think there is a point to those snowmen? Because there are five of them and I could swear the one is pregnant."

* * *

The rest of the holidays were wonderful. The children played outside together every day and spent an hour or two studying together as well. The evenings were filled with games, listening to the wireless, and enjoying time in each others company, just as the summer before. After the kids went to their rooms, Barbara and Severus would read together, discuss their classes, research, or plans for the new baby and then enjoy what intimate moments were possible with the difficulties presented by that same growing baby.

On New Year's Eve, before dinner, each member of the family lit candles for family members no longer with them. Alice, Howard, and Carissa, of course, lit candles for their parents. Severus and Barbara lit candles for their parents, as well, and then for others they had lost over the years, friends and professors and students.

As the clock in the hall tolled in the New Year, Barbara and Severus opened their front door to greet it.

"A whole new year to live and love through," she mused.

"As long as it's like this past year, I will enjoy it fully."

"I'm sure we will have our struggles, but as long as we're together I will find joy in it."

* * *

Eventually the holidays ended and it was the night before they would go back to the school. Barbara kept shifting her position. Severus thought that if she rolled over one more time, he would have to use a body bind.

"Can't you get comfortable?"

"No. This will sound terrible, but there are times when I wish I could take the baby out for a few minutes, just to feel normal again. Instead I'm left flopping around like a beached fish."

"You're not worried about tomorrow, are you?"

No answer.

"Barbara." He ran his hand along her arm. "Draco will not hurt you. He writes that he's eager to work with us. He's spoken to several of his younger friends who have been your students and has developed quite a respect for your work."

"Really?"

"Yes. And I'm eager for him to get here, too."

"How so?"

"Because as soon as he's here, we can concentrate on our little prince or princess and perhaps you will be able to stop distressing over everything you want done before the birth. Or at least you will have one less thing to worry about. You are going to fly to pieces if you don't relax more."

"I think I need some remedial work, professor."

"Well, my dear student, perhaps we need to schedule a detention..."

_A/N: I've often thought that the last month or so of pregnancy was invented to make us eager for labor._

_Thank you, reviewers!_


	12. Winter Term

_Disclaimer: This world belongs to JKR, of course._

"This meeting will come to order." Minerva McGonagall was presiding over a faculty meeting in the staff room. "This is just a short meeting to make sure there haven't been any problems with the students returning, and to introduce our substitute teacher, Draco Malfoy. Have the students all arrived?"

Hagrid and Filch assured Minerva that the students were all arrived and that most were in their proper houses.

"That's fine. A few will have meetings tonight and the prefects will be checking on things. As you all knew, Barbara will be leaving us soon--"

"Any day now," supplied Poppy.

"-- any day now. Mr. Malfoy has kindly agreed to fill in for the next couple of months until Barbara is back on her feet."

"Excuse me, Madam Headmistress, but are we now expected to work with_ two _Death Eaters on staff?" Mary MacDonald looked up at the head of the table with narrow eyes.

"_Former_ Death Eaters, Professor MacDonald, and yes. Our staff also contains a former auror and several Order of the Phoenix members."

"But _Death Eaters_, Professor!"

Minerva put her hands on the table and looked grimly down toward the younger witch. "The war put a lot of people in difficult circumstances, Professor. That will be quite enough." Professor MacDonald looked away and did not answer.

Minerva continued. "Mr. Malfoy is a bit young to be taking on this task, but he will be closely supervised by Professors Merrill and Snape and should do well. I understand that he will be using the Potion Mistress' office and apartments. Are there any other concerns? No? We will adjourn this meeting then. I'm sure the house heads, in particular, will wish to be in their offices in case students have need of you."

Severus helped his wife get up and took her arm to assist her from the room. "Draco, join us, please, as I walk my wife down to her office."

"Draco's office, for now, Severus," Barbara said quietly. Then a bit louder, "I trust you had an easy journey, Professor?"

Severus watched several thoughts play over his former student's face. "I hadn't thought of myself as a professor, yet, ma'am."

"Well, Draco, you have about twelve hours to get used to the idea," said Severus.

"Don't scare him, Severus, we need him too much."

"Right as usual, dear lady. I'll be back for you at curfew?"

"That sounds good."

"Stay out of trouble."

"Likewise."

"Draco, she is not to lift anything or try to reorganize the stock room, or really do anything more than sit in her chair until I return. Watch out, she's sneaky." He kissed her hand and was gone.

Barbara turned to Draco, who was trying not to smirk. "So, Professor Malfoy, why don't you look around the classroom and reacquaint yourself and then join me in the office here? We can discuss lesson plans and that sort of thing. It looks like I have a quick meeting with my prefects right now, anyway."

* * *

"Professor Merrill?" The Ravenclaw prefects had left and Draco was walking back into the Potion Mistress' office.

"Yes?"

"I need to apologize. I know you've overheard some of the things I've said about you. I've made the Professor pretty mad."

"I wouldn't know about that, Draco. Severus tells me that you had a difficult time during the war and have been trying to readjust to what your world is like now. I cannot imagine it's been easy."

"No, ma'am."

"Let's give each other a chance, if you don't mind. I trust my husband and he trusts you, and that's all the assurance I need to know this will work well." She arranged tea on the desk and started to pour. "We will start by your not mentioning that I actually made tea in here this evening. For that matter, the elves would be furious, too. And why don't we also start by you calling me Barbara when we're not in front of students?"

"Yes ma'am...Barbara. It's clear to see that the Professor enjoys you."

"_Excuse_ me?" Barbara skipped pink and went straight to red.

Draco started. "Oh, no, ma'am! I meant your conversations together. The little comments back and forth. He really seems to enjoy that, and watching you just now, well, I'm just glad you have each other."

She smiled. "Thank you Draco. Let's go over my plans for the next few weeks and then I'll let you settle into the rooms."

* * *

Classes were working well with the new Professor Malfoy. He understood and enjoyed the subject, he was, for the most part, even handed. Difficulties with Professor MacDonald were handled, so far, although Barbara didn't know exactly how. She saw the two of them discussing something very intently and quietly in a hallway and backed away.

A couple of evenings into the winter term, Draco and Barbara were grading papers and going over the next day's assignments when Barbara suddenly blanched. "Prof-- Barbara, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Draco, but someone else is not. I'm afraid I need to leave you for the day. Feel free to continue that grading or not as you see fit. I have some things I need to do, and I'll see you, tomorrow."

"Do you need my help?"

"No thank you. I'll be fine." Barbara smiled and patted his arm. She waited until she was well on her way toward the stairs before her eyes narrowed and her face set with purpose. She had several things to do this evening and she hated to admit it, but she was not at her best.

She knew this time that Severus was injured. Someone had tried to cruciate him but he had been able to throw it off and get away. She stood at the doorway, absently staring at a student's cat while waiting for him to make his way through the school hallways. Finally she saw him and rushed to his side, walking him back to their rooms with her arm around his waist.

"I'm sorry I can't support you very well. I hope that this helps."

"All you have to do is touch me, Barbara, and everything feels so much better. You saw what happened?" He looked for anger in her eyes but saw only concern. "Tonight, I yield to your care, Barbara. I'm not going to fight you. Do you have the proper potions?"

"Everything is ready. Come, darling." She sealed the door behind them and drew him to their bed. She gave him a healing drought to drink and started working on his clothes. When she found where the curse had hit him, she rubbed the other potion into the wound. Finally she simply held his hand and watched him, willing him to get better. Eventually his color returned to normal and his breathing became easier. She helped him into his nightshirt.

"I'm feeling so worn out, tonight. I just want to hold you."

"Of course. I'm pretty tired tonight, myself." She took off her own dressing gown and slipped beside him in her nightgown.

"There's something different going on but I'm not sure what, yet. This group are going almost straight to Azkaban. I don't like the direction things are taking, now."

"Maybe we should just concentrate on helping the children for a while?"

"Hmm... maybe... is there anything better than coming home to a dear wife?" He remembered something. "Weren't you supposed to meet with this specialist that Poppy has coming? What did he have to say?"

"Healer Petros is a sweet man. Quite jolly and kind, really. He looked me over in just about every way he could and asked me every possible embarrassing question there is. He spoke with Poppy for a minute or two and finally he came and spoke with me. He said I'm in perfect shape and that labor should start within the next week or so."

"So no problems?"

"Poppy always said there weren't any problems. Then he showed me something." She took his hand and held it to her belly. "This is our baby's head, and back." She took his other hand and held someplace different. "This, Severus, is our other baby's head, and back."

"Hmmm...two...this week..." He mumbled off to sleep as the potion took effect.

"Good night, Severus." She kissed him and then tried to go to sleep. When that didn't work, she got up to knit. Sometimes she could hardly form a coherent thought while at other times they flew around her like pixies. Knitting helped to sort her thoughts and by the time she had gone very far, she was tired enough to return to the bed and sleep.

Barbara woke the next morning to find that her husband had pulled her nightgown up. He was murmuring to and kissing her tummy. "Whatever are you doing down there?"

"They were kicking and jabbing. You did say there are two? I'm telling them to be good for the next week or so, that I look forward to meeting them face to face, and that I love them and Mommy."

Her eyes prickled. "You should know better than to do things like this when I'm an emotional wreck from being pregnant. I love you."

He moved up to kiss her lips. She turned her head aside and kissed him on the cheek.

"So," she said, "enjoy your day off."

"I have classes every period today."

"Actually, you don't. I canceled them all as soon as I saw what was happening to you."

He sat up and glared at her. "You dared to cancel my classes?"

"Hmmmm... one of the spouses of this marriage made plans that affect them both without consulting the other... Wait a minute," she sat up and glared back at him, "it was both of us."

He looked abashed. "It wasn't like that."

She sighed. "It never is. Let me guess. You discussed it in your office the night of the party and I was too tired to hear about it that night and there was one reason or another not to bring it up for the following two weeks?" He couldn't quite look into her eyes.

"Severus, I have to know about this before you go. It's too jarring to think you're just in your office or something and then see you in danger like that. And then last night, when you were hurt..." Her eyes became unfocused.

He pulled her head to his chest. "I cannot excuse it; I shouldn't have done that. I could have at least told you yesterday why I wouldn't be able to be with you when you went to see Poppy. Forgive me, Barbara, please?"

"I had to stop being mad when I saw you in such pain. Of course I forgive you. But, dearest, why do you do this?"

"I forget how strong and capable you are and I want to protect you and the baby—babies, now. I cannot stand the thought of anything bad happening to you. I don't think I could survive that, Barbara."

"Oh, Severus, don't you think I have the same worries? I would be in your office every free minute just to see you if I could stand the stairs that much. Worry _with_ me, Severus, not so much about me. Better yet, can't we have some time together with no worry at all?"

"It would seem that I have all day to not worry. What are you doing today?"

"I have several classes to sit in on. Draco has taken over completely, but I'm trying to keep an eye out while I can. He may also want some help with the seventh years when I'm not able."

"Are they giving him trouble?"

"I wouldn't say that."

"You are leaving me something to puzzle over, I see." He sat back against the headboard. "So, my dear, am I to be left alone here today with nothing better to do than consider names for the soon to be impressive Snape twins?"

"I didn't say that, either."

"What did you say?"

"I didn't plan to _say_ anything." She took his face into her hands and gave him the kiss she had withheld before.

_A/N: There will be a little less of a Polyanna vibe eventually, but for now it's hopeless._

_Thank you, reveiwers!_


	13. The Happiest Days

_Disclaimer: All JKR's world and mostly her people. I just came to play._

_"Oh, yes, it is a happy day... The happiest days are the days when babies come!" -- Melanie Wilkes, Gone with the Wind._

Professor Snape was in his office going over his next days lessons when an uncomfortable feeling hit him. After a moment it passed. He finished writing his notes for the next day and turned his attention to the stack of essays on his desk.

He was part way through his first years' efforts to describe how to avoid trouble with certain dangerous creatures when that uncomfortable feeling came again. What could possibly be going on? He suddenly realized that something was happening to Barbara. He cleared up the essays and left his office, carefully sealing the door as he went. Then he ran to the stairs closest to the dungeon.

* * *

Barbara looked at her watch and then at Draco again. He had turned out to be an proficient teacher, if he showed just a bit of favoritism to the Slytherin students. He had an excellent grasp of the subject, and was good at explaining things.

It was the last class period of the day and it was dragging. Meanwhile, this was the third pain in twenty minutes and they had all made her want to slide down under the desk and onto the floor. The class was humming with the potions the students were preparing, and Draco was walking up and down the aisles, helping them as they went along. The pain eased. It was time to act now, or face the possibility of having the babies in the dungeon.

"Professor," Barbara said.

Draco looked up.

"If you don't mind, I think I'll leave you to your class."

He smiled and nodded and she got herself out the door and closed it. She was on the stairs when the next pain hit and this time she did slide down onto the floor.

"Is there a problem?" Severus ran down to where she was and put his arms around her, trying to lift her up. The look she gave him made him stop. Apparently, breathing was enough of a task at the moment. He held her hands and looked into her eyes, learning quickly that it wasn't merely discomfort.

The pain eased. "Tell Minerva and Poppy that I don't care, I'm not going to dance the tango this afternoon."

He helped her get up and eased her up the stairs. "Is it time?"

"If this isn't labor, I don't want to know the real thing," she responded.

"Are you in much pain?"

"It's much better with you holding me."

She arrived at the top just as another pain hit her. When he saw her eyes widen and her hand grasp the railing, Severus hurried her to a bench under the first floor stairs. Again she sat there, just catching her breath.

When he saw her breathing more freely he asked, "Can you make it up the steps?"

"It's easing again, let's try it."

They made it up the stairs, barely again, before the next pain hit.

He half led, half carried her into the infirmary.

"POPPY, COME QUICK!"

"What is it?" Madam Pomfrey saw the look on Barbara's face. "How far apart are the pains?"

Barbara couldn't speak so her husband did. "Hardly any time at all. Maybe a minute or two."

Poppy led them to a private room. "How long ago did it start? You should have come sooner."

"Half an hour." Barbara had caught her breath.

"Well, some women just go quickly. There's nothing wrong with that. You need to take every stitch of clothing off and put this gown on. I'll be right back to check your progress." Poppy left the room briskly.

"Oh..." another pain hit and Severus sat on the bed, took both of her hands. "I'm here. Look at me." He put his forehead to hers and looked into her eyes. "Barbara, do not spend all your strength practicing Occlumency." He soothed her and helped her. Soon she was able to change into the gown.

Poppy came back with Healer Petros. They washed her hands while the assistant did interesting things with sheets and put the back of the bed up in a sitting position.

"Okay, Barbara, Severus, let's have these babies." What followed over the next two hours frightened, horrified, and then amazed the new father, who was finally left contemplating the new admiration and love he had for a woman whom he had already loved with all of his heart.

Severus Snape spent the first evening of fatherhood admiring his children. After cleaning up and feeding, the babies went to sleep and were now sharing the crib which was easily big enough for the two of them.

"You did just fine, Barbara," said Poppy. "You should be up and around again pretty quickly. Just rest when you need it."

"Thank you, Poppy," said Barbara.

"I'm going to head down to dinner, now."

"Poppy?" Barbara asked, "could you not tell anyone until we have a chance to tell Carissa, Alice and Howard?"

"It will be hard to avoid Minerva..."

"We'll get them right now," said Severus. "Itsy!"

The elf appeared. "Is master wanting something?"

"Could you tell Alice, Carissa, and Howard to come right up to the hospital wing? They should be getting ready for dinner. Then find Bitsy and Nod and come back here, yourselves."

The elf nodded and disapparated.

Poppy's hand was on the doorknob. "All right then, I'm off to dinner, and I'll avoid Minerva as long as I can, but if she corners me..."

Barbara and Severus laughed. He went back to his chair by the baby bed.

"Can't you decide?" she asked, smiling at him.

"They're so perfect in every way. Such beautiful faces and forms. They look so similar, too, but I feel so completely differently about them. But there's no way that I can love either more than the other."

"I would like to show some love to their father."

"That's an invitation I accept." He came to her bedside and took the kisses she offered him.

"Are you feeling well?"

"I am tired, and there's still some soreness, but I'm perfectly fine and, Severus, I love them so much!"

Carissa, Alice and Howard ran in. "Is everything okay?" Howard said. "We were worried when Itsy said to come up here."

Barbara shook her head. "Everything is fine, dears. We just wanted you to meet the babies and to have our family all together for a few minutes tonight."

Alice ran up to the crib. "Two?"

Severus laughed. "Yes, it was a bit of a surprise for us all. We just found out the other day. Why don't you sit down and Carissa, you hold Nicolas here and Alice, why don't you hold Victoria?" He sat on the edge of Barbara's bed and took her hand as they watched the teenagers holding the babies, and caught up on the week's events.

The house elves popped in. "You wanted us, Master, Mistress?"

"Yes," said Barbara, "We wanted you to meet the babies."

Itsy, Bitsy, and Nod looked at the children for a long moment. "Itsy, Bitsy, and Nod are proud to serve the new members of the family."

"You are members of our family, too," said Barbara.

"Yes, Mistress. But there is work to do in the kitchen."

"If you must go, then don't let us keep you." Severus shook each of their hands solemnly, and they left.

Minerva ran in. "Barbara! Severus! I had to practically hex Poppy to get her to tell me. Let me see those babies!"

"We have them, Professor!" said Alice, giggling. "Would you like to hold Victoria?"

"Well, well," said Minerva, her voice softening as she took the baby, "aren't you a lovely girl?"

Victoria woke up and started rooting around and fussing.

"It's been a couple of hours. Perhaps I should feed her again, and you can hold Nicolas." She looked at the teens. "You should run get your own dinners, too. I'm sure Bitsy is frantic that you haven't eaten yet. She can't smuggle you sandwiches every night."

"How did you know about that?" asked Howard.

"Oh, it's my job to know everything I can about you until you're in charge of yourself," laughed Barbara. "I'm certainly not going to tell you my trade secrets. Have a good evening, dears, and come back to see me tomorrow."

The students left and Minerva sat on the couch with Nicolas while Victoria nursed.

"Severus," said Minerva while cooing to the baby, "I never could have imagined, in all the years you've been teaching here, of what you are truly capable. Here we have another side of Professor Snape, who, it must be said, is a very forward-thinking man. A teacher barely after he was a student himself, a friend to orphans, and now a father." She looked over her glasses at Barbara and Severus. "You realize these children are two members of the first generation in decades who will never know Voldemort."

* * *

At some point in the middle of the night, Barbara got out of her bed to attend to the soft cry of one of the twins to find her husband there before her. Together they changed the diaper and then Severus motioned her to sit down while he picked the baby up. He stared at his tiny son who had a full head of the same dark hair and the same eyes and nose that he himself had.

He carried the baby over and watched in awe as his wife loosened her gown and fed the baby. Barbara was already becoming accustomed to this rite of motherhood. She watched her son's scrunched up eyes with delight, and held one of the tiny fists, bringing it to her lips to kiss it. Severus caught his breath at the beauty of her face, and then she looked up, her eyes melting into his.

"Happy Birthday," she whispered.

He sat next to her on the bed in amazement. He was 40 years old, today, and he'd forgotten all about it. "I didn't think about it."

"I'm afraid part of the celebration I had in mind is now somewhat moot."

"I'm delighted by the celebration we have right here."

"There are gifts for you, somewhere," said Barbara. "Probably they're in our room."

Victoria started to fuss. Severus stood up. "I'll take care of this one." He looked after her diaper and picked her up in his hands, marveling in the delicate beauty of his own features as they appeared on his daughter's face. Since Barbara was still occupied with Nicolas, Severus had the luxury to sit with Victoria and hold her close to his heart. "You, my little princess, and your younger brother are a birthday celebration all by yourselves."

Their daughter gave a more insistent cry.

"Nicolas is just about asleep. Do you think you can pat his back a little while I take her?"

Severus switched babies with his wife and sat in the chair next to the bed. Holding his son to his heart this time, he patted the small back and watched his wife settle their daughter in for her meal.

"It will take a while to get all of this coordinated," she said, ruefully.

"The job is in good hands."

They each looked at the babies they were holding, and then he went back to watching her. He didn't think he could get enough of the rapt expression on her face.

"Barbara." She looked up, her expression showing just how she felt for him, and he fell in love with her all over again. "Barbara, thank you for our children."

_

* * *

_

A/N: Yes, I know Severus Snape is a snarky, sarcastic, mean-tempered person, but I choose to believe it's because he was denied even the hope of such things as a family to love him. I'm pretty sure he's still capable of being sarcastic in my adjusted world...we shall see.

_I jumped into fanfic without really reading much first, and am finding that I've stumbled into quite a few cliches. Sorry about that. _

_I also know that Victoria shares her name with a cannon character who will enter Hogwarts a year before she does, but I think it's likely that a lot of parents would be using this name and it's derivatives... the name Nicolas refers to victory, too. The twins had those names before their parents were even married and I simply couldn't change them. __I would guess that a lot of the young men of that generation are probably called "Harry" or "Ronald," as well._

_Once again, thank you to the kind readers and reviewers who have kept up with this. _


	14. Maternity Leave

_Disclaimer: all JKRs world. I'm just here to play, with an OC friend or two, in my AU._

Victoria and Nicolas Snape had several visitors on the morning after their birth. By lunch time their father was ready jinx the next intruder and seal the door. Couldn't these vile people see how tired his wife was?

Severus cast a glance over at Barbara, who was still smiling beatifically, if tiredly, at Sibyll and Aurora who were looking at the babies in their crib and cooing. He had shown his children to Professor Flitwick with delight and to Hagrid with pleasure and watched with pride as the Minister of Magic came to meet his godchildren, but the day was getting long and all the squealing and baby talk was going to drive him insane.

Meanwhile, Hogwarts had never known such an infestation of colds and stomach aches. Many students came to have various complaints looked at, in the hope of seeing the Snape babies. Poppy smiled benignly and checked them all out, sending almost all of the children back to their classes or houses, disappointed.

Severus lost all composure when Barbara greeted Molly Weasley by saying, "Oh, Molly, I'm so glad to see you! Tell me how to deal with this terrible soreness on my--" He fled the room, meeting Arthur in the hospital ward.

"Girl talk?" asked Arthur, sympathetically.

"I want to know everything there is to know about that woman, but there are things no man should have to hear about," groused Severus.

Arthur clapped him on the shoulder and led him outside. "Your life is very different from a year ago, Severus."

"I'm on a line, Arthur. There's so much delight, but on the other side, terror. Barbara just ignores it, as far as I can tell. Let's get married, provide a home for those students, have children of our own, full steam ahead. She doesn't seem to realize how much danger there still is in our world."

"It's a lot to deal with, that's for sure. If she's like Molly, she knows full well the dangers you face together."

"I know she does. It's in her eyes whenever I go on Order business." He sighed. "I wanted everything we have at least as much as she does, too. I'm the one who insisted on a short engagement. There's just so much running through my mind right now." He stopped to give detentions to a group of older students who were teasing a pair of first years. The moment of normalcy steadied him.

"Arthur, they're perfection, and she's so beautiful with them..." Snape looked up at the castle.

"Perhaps we should return and see if the women have finished comparing notes."

When they returned to the hospital wing, Molly was holding Victoria and Barbara was feeding Nicolas.

"Arthur, look as this little face, isn't she a darling?" Molly held Victoria up for her husband to see.

"I sense a visit to Shell Cottage coming on," answered Arthur indulgently.

* * *

By dinnertime even Barbara's enthusiasm was flagging and she was grateful to return to their rooms after curfew started. It was also a bit of a letdown, coming to the quiet, out of the whirlwind of attention they had been under. Her husband bundled her into bed and then laid down beside her.

"It's been such a long day. Rest, dear lady."

Barbara found herself glad that she did, because it seemed as though she had hardly closed her eyes before Itsy brought a hungry Nicolas to her. Thus the pattern of the following month was set, a cycle of feeding the babies, sleeping when they slept, and snatching showers and meals when she could.

Severus went back to teaching his classes within a couple of days, leaving her in the capable hands of their house elves. In the evenings he let her help with grading essays, a lifeline of normal pursuits. They sat together near the fire in Severus' office, each holding a baby and a scroll, comparing the students answers and their own comments.

One afternoon, Barbara looked into her husband's eyes and knew the pattern would be different. "Tonight?"

"It shouldn't take too long."

"They've let you off for so long, I was beginning to think..."

"This may actually be the last one. Something new is going on, and other people are becoming ready to take a more active position."

She smiled. "I can only hope."

He looked more seriously at her. "You should probably use Occlumency, tonight."

"I can't do that."

"I don't want you to be paralyzed by anything you see. You have the twins to consider."

"If it gets too much for me, I promise I will."

"If that's the best you can do, I'll take it." He kissed her fully on the lips. "Hmmm. I'll be back for more of that. It will just be a few hours."

* * *

There were dementors again. Barbara was forced to close her mind to her husband in order to care for the children, but not until after she knew he had he cast his patronus. Even so, she was relieved when he came safely through her door. The babies were in a rare moment of sleeping at the same time, so she was able to greet him with tea and chocolate.

"Have I ever told you how nice it is to come home to you?"

"Once or twice," she smiled. "Are you injured?"

"Not in the least."

"Can you explain the dementor thing? Who is there that still works with them?"

"Dolores Umbridge sent them to Little Winging, hoping to harm Harry Potter several years ago. Kingsley is looking into it, as well as into some other possibilities. Barbara," he caught her eye, "this was the last time. This particular operation has run its course. There's one person running things on that side now, and what I've been doing can no longer work. Other people will be doing the work for a while."

She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "You don't know what a relief that is... how I've worried. Now we can concentrate on raising the children."

He kissed her back, enjoying her lips for the first time in weeks, to be interrupted by on of the babies. _Perhaps it's just as well_, he thought.

* * *

They went back to their cycle of exhaustion and grading papers together in the evening. As the twins approached a month in age, they went onto a more livable schedule of only needing feedings about every four hours. Barbara began to see a way that she could return to teaching while still caring for them.

Draco Malfoy appeared bashfully on their doorstep at about this time. Severus and Barbara welcomed him into their sitting room.

"Well Draco, what brings you here?" asked Professor Snape.

"Have things progressed to where you could be in an questionable situation?" asked Professor Merrill, smiling kindly.

"How did you know?" Draco asked Barbara.

Severus sighed. "It's her stock in trade. What happened?"

"Nothing yet, but I cannot stop thinking about her. I would like to accompany her to the Valentines dance, but not while I'm her teacher."

"We can take the seventh years back," said Barbara. "I'm itching to get out of these rooms for a few hours, anyway."

"Are you sure you're ready?" asked her husband.

"It's just the seventh years. They practically teach themselves. Draco will still sit in to help as necessary, won't you?" The younger man nodded. "He just shouldn't be the one in authority under the circumstances."

Severus put his lips near his wife's ear. "You know I have a vested interest in making sure your recovery is not slowed at all."

Barbara smiled flirtatiously up to him. "I will be fine."

Draco cleared his throat. "I also wondered..." The Snapes looked back over to him. "How did you handle the whole Death Eater issue? I know the situation was complicated, but in a lot of ways, you were on opposite sides... if you don't mind my asking."

A cry issued from the bedroom. Barbara stood. "Perhaps it's as well that you discuss this alone. Can I get you anything?"

Her husband stood and kissed her cheek. "I'll have Nod get us some firewhiskey."

"Let me know if you need me, then," she murmured. She turned to Draco. "Professor, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, then."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Draco, I need to trust your discretion about what I'm going to show you, now. Some people might wish to do me or my wife harm if they knew about this."

"Sure, Professor."

Severus rolled up the sleeve of his robe, showing the younger wizard that his arm was essentially unmarked. As could be expected, Draco's reaction was a certain amount of shock.

"Gone? How did you do that? Why?"

"Why keep it? For what do I want or need it?" Nod came with the bottle and glasses. Severus poured and handed a glass to the younger man.

"Barbara and I worked on a series of potions right after the war ended. You might say they brought us together. Last year on my birthday she happened to see the mark and I couldn't face her. We had this wonderful friendship and I thought in that moment that it was just over." He sighed, recalling the trepidation he felt at that moment. "She simply picked one of the potions and treated the mark and this is what is left. She had been testing the potions at the Ministry dungeon. She knew which was most likely to work on this kind of curse."

"Can I have some of this potion?"

"Not so fast, Draco. That was only half of the process. While Barbara treated the curse on my arm, she saw things." Severus looked in the distance, recalling what happened. "Everything I did, everything that happened to me because of that mark came into view and she saw it all. Her love, her acceptance of me... it was somehow part of the counter-curse. I had no idea how much she loved me before that moment, but afterwards... I was completely undone, Draco."

"Is that necessary to make the potion work?"

"It's unclear at this time. We've only done this the one time, but I would suggest making sure you wait until you know the lady's feelings toward you. Whom are we discussing, anyway?"

"Asteria Greengrass."

"Delightful girl. What will your father ever say? I thought you were planning a future with Pansy Parkinson."

"Pureblood, Slytherin, he should be fine with it. She was just this kid, you know? But the first day in class with Barbara, I saw her there, and it just hit me."

Severus picked up the bottle to freshen their drinks. "Tell me all about it."

_

* * *

_

Other dancers may be on the floor  
Dear, but my eyes will see only you  
Only you have that magic technique  
When we sway I grow weak

I can hear the sound of violins  
Long before  
It begins  
Make me thrill as only you know how  
Sway me smooth  
Sway me now

If she was breathing, Barbara didn't know it for sure. She wasn't even sure exactly how she was moving around the dance floor, only that Severus was looking into her eyes and one of his arms was around her, their other hands clasped firmly together. Somehow her feet knew where he wanted her and that's where they went.

And then the music was dying away and they had stopped moving, although his eyes were still on hers and his arms were still around her. She became conscious to the fact that she was, indeed breathing, and that they were in a room filled with students and fellow teachers. As she became more aware of the world around her, Severus handed her a flower and guided her back to their table, his hand on the small of her back.

"You didn't need to use the flower, you know. You didn't bother with it on our wedding day," Barbara said.

"I didn't have to chastely kiss you good night on the forehead on our wedding night, either," growled Severus. "Another week seems like forever."

"It will be over in a flash." Barbara smiled and laid her hand on the table with his. "You don't have to keep picking these sultry Latin songs to dance, you know. A mambo, Severus, really?"

"Ah, when we dance like that, you yield to me in a way that's reminiscent of our bedroom, and for a time I can pretend..."

He had captured her eyes with his and for a moment, she forgot to breathe again.

Severus looked around the dance floor. "I still don't understand how you knew about Draco and the Greengrass girl, almost before he did."

"Watch the eyes, darling. They tell the whole story. His first day in the seventh year class he couldn't take his eyes off of her, and then the first day I had him teach, they kept drifting back over to her."

"Are they ready for the healing potion?"

"He is, but I don't think she is, yet. She's a bit star-struck by the attention she's receiving from him. She's so young, still, too. I hate to think of her innocence being destroyed that way, or of his trust being thrown back in his face because she wasn't able to accept or understand something he's experienced."

"Would she really lose her innocence by it? You never completely have, even after all you've seen and done." Barbara didn't know if she was blushing from his words or from the touch of his thumb as it caressed the inside of her wrist.

"I just don't think she's ready. Look at them. He's looking at her with his heart in his eyes and she's looking at him with a girlish crush. When _she_ comes and asks for the potion, perhaps, then..."

They looked around the Great Hall again.

"They're all so well behaved, tonight."

"Do you suppose it's related to the shield charms you kept putting on them for the first hour? Or that the nervous looks they keep giving us, now, have to do with the glowering you did as they came into the Great Hall?"

They watched the students dance some more.

"Have you caught your breath, yet?"

"Yes, why?" Severus was nodding at the band leader and pulling her to her feet. "Severus, again?"

"Yes, Madam, and again, and again, until this week is over."

She smiled at him and abandoned herself to his eyes and his arms as they guided her around the floor.

* * *

Professor Snape was looking over student essays and didn't notice his wife slipping into his office and sealing the door. He looked up in some bemusement as she walked up to him and sat in his lap at which point he was stunned by a range of feelings and emotions.

"Barbara, you can't just... It's been too long..."

She took her hair out and whispered in his ear, "I've been to see Poppy."

"Have you?" He was shifting uncomfortably.

She was kissing his jawline. "Yes, she says I'm perfectly fine and ready to resume normal activities, now. _All_ normal activities, Severus."

"Really? What about--" His hands were sliding along her waist.

She had moved to his lips. "The twins are being looked after and I checked both of our schedules. We have the next three hours free."

"Barbara--" Had she not clasped her arms around his neck, she would have fallen to the floor when he stood up quickly, kissing her deeply. He backed her through the office to the sitting room, where he shut and sealed the doors before lowering onto the couch and pulling her on top of him.

"If you don't mind the company, I will just enjoy the show," drawled a voice from the other side of the room.

Barbara and Severus sat up and separated quickly, like teens who had been caught by their parents. Lucius Malfoy was sitting in one of their chairs, sipping a firewhisky he had poured himself.

"Lucius! This isn't the best time..." Severus began, casting a glance at his wife who was clutching the front edges of her robes together.

"I can see that, Severus, but this is the time I had available. I hope you don't mind that I showed myself in and made myself comfortable." He took a drink from the glass. "Nice piece you've got there. Pleasant to look at, gave you an heir, bit of family money, good connections, and clearly warms your bed... I might take her on when you're done with her."

Barbara noticed that her husband was fingering his wand. "You assume much, Lucius. Barbara is my wife and as such deserves the full protections of that status according to the rules by which you live in society, not to mention she's quite a talented witch on her own merits and quite brilliant to boot. I don't think you'll have much opportunity with her."

"Surely you wouldn't mind, seeing as how you've had plenty of opportunity with _my_ wife?"

"Narcissa? Lucius, I've given Narcissa the courtesy any gentleman should give any lady, nothing more. You will also find that I've never once been alone with her. Are you here to accuse me of tampering with your wife, or is there a point to this visit? I have a rather busy afternoon planned."

"Yes, actually, I'm here to tell you that you need to pick a side and stick with it. Either join us in bringing back the glory of Slytherin or get out of the way, in which case we will work to destroy you." He leaned forward. "I hear you've found a way to remove your mark, so perhaps you've already chosen? At any rate, stop confusing my son."

"Is your son confused, Lucius? He seems like a very clear-headed young man, and a credit to his family."

"Ah! She even has a pleasant speaking voice. Yes, my son has been confused, tempted away from the arts that have done so much for his family. Perhaps he's been tempted by you?" Lucius looked her up and down. "Yes, indeed, when you tire of our friend, here, will you come tempt me?"

"You'll probably be dead by then, and I'll be pretty old..." Barbara said thoughtfully, still holding her robe together, with one hand.

"Barbara," put in Severus quietly, "hexing a guest would be extremely bad manners." Barbara realized she had taken her wand out with her other hand.

"But Severus, darling, it would just be a _little_ hex," she said without taking her eyes off of Malfoy.

"Nevertheless, it wouldn't suit the moment he's trying to ruin." Severus stood and walked over to the door, which he opened. "Lucius, I think it's time that we completed our discussion and you were on your way. Your warning has been delivered, is there anything else?"

"Just leave my son alone. Stop filling his mind with ideas of leaving the Death Eaters behind."

"As Barbara will be resuming her full teaching duties next week, he will be free to return to Malfoy Manor and whatever is to be found within the warm embrace of his family, Lucius." He opened the door. "We bid you good day, sir."

The Snapes watched Malfoy saunter through the room and out the door. Severus watched him down the hallway, followed by a student's cat.

Barbara sighed, "I wonder if he spent too much time in Azkaban."

Severus turned and walked back to the couch. "This afternoon he's spent too much time keeping me away from my wife." He sat down again and took Barbara into his arms. "We would do well to keep that warning in mind..."

"Severus?"

"You're right. All of that can wait." He pulled her back down on top of himself. "Where were we?"

"Severus, Should we be worried?"

"Don't be frightened, dear lady. We shall take appropriate precautions and then live our lives in their faces. Starting right now."

He buried his hands in her hair and started to kiss her. As she kissed him back, his hands slid down her back and did things that made her shiver. Barbara was soon lost within his embrace.

_A/N: The song lyrics are from "Sway" by Pablo Rosas Ruiz & Gimble, translated to English by Norman. _

_I've chosen to decide that Time Magazinewas more likely to put a typo on Miss Greengrass' name than JKR, so I've gone with Asteria, which is on the family tree, rather than Astoria. Either way, that's who I meant._

_Thank you, readers and reviewers for your time!_


	15. The Course of True Love

_Disclaimer: JKR's sandbox, of course; almost all of the toys are hers, too. Only an OC or two came out of my head._

If there was to be a fight in the Snape household, it would inevitably be over their research. The running of their household was unremarkable in its simplicity, given that half occurred at Hogwarts and the whole of it was run by house elves. They had no wants that they could not afford. Their children gave rise to sleepless nights and perhaps the shorter tempers than usual, but both parents loved the twins dearly and willingly cared for them. Nor was their bedroom a source of contention as both parties entered it eagerly and delighted in each other.

It was a lovely evening in mid-March and the Snapes were basking in the glory of having recent papers received for publication in both _Journal of the Potions Society_, and _Potions Monthly_. It was time to decide how to proceed next. Two clear pathways lay before them, and they each chose one. If they had not been tired from caring for the babies, the quarrel would probably have been easily resolved. However, they _were _tired and the shouting match began.

The next week was quite trying for the students, who found the Snapes to be difficult teachers as Easter break approached as a rule, anyhow. Pop quizes and and essays abounded. Students who had started to think of Snape and Merrill as pleasant quickly learned to watch their step. Snape's quiet sarcasm became even quieter malice while Merrill started looking daggers at anyone who even _thought_ of putting the wrong ingredients into their potions.

All students melted away whenever the two were in the same room or hallway. Between Merrill's death glare and Snape's perpetually angry glower, it was too easy to believe that one or both would engage in wandless, unspoken magic that would leave bystanders afflicted.

Snape wandered the halls in the evenings with a dark look in his face reminiscent of the years before the war. He had a talent of coming upon students in lonely hallways, daring them to be guests at his Friday afternoon detention. "Care to explain what a Hufflepuff is doing in a hallway that leads nowhere but Ravenclaw, Harding? Perhaps you'd like to explain it to me on Friday afternoon?"

"N—No, Sir."

"Why don't you figure out where you truly belong, then, and go there."

Merrill spent her time reprimanding her potions classes left and right. For some reason, a larger number than usual of accidents occurred in the dungeon that week, flaying what little of her patience she cobbled together for her students. "Along with the homework I have already assigned, you will each give me a foot and a half on why the particular combination of ingredients Parker used is more likely to poison your desk mate than cause peaceful slumber. You can add an inch for each groan I hear between now and the time you are outside of this classroom door."

The class ended and the students started sighing and muttering as they walked out of the dungeon.

"I believe we're now up to a foot, eight inches," came the inexorable voice behind them. "We can try for detentions, too, if you would like to join me this Friday."

Silence ensued.

* * *

Within the apartment used by the Snape family, a stony silence ruled. They still graded papers together in Severus' office, but the only sound in the room was the rattling of turning pages and scratching of quill as they graded. The companionable chuckling over ridiculous answers and comparing notes was gone. They quietly prepared the twins for bed and as quietly went to bed themselves, staying carefully on their own sides throughout the night.

The past year's habit of clinging to each other in the night would not be broken, however. Every morning they awoke clasped in each other's arms. They exchanged an awkward good morning and went their ways.

At some point in the middle of Wednesday night, they awoke to find themselves kissing passionately and pulling at each others nightclothes. Severus groaned and undid his wife's braid, burying his face in her hair and kissing her face all over before reclaiming her lips. Barbara was in a frenzy of kissing whatever she could reach and caressing everything else, his head, his shoulders, his chest and his back, all while whispering his name, again and again. When it was over, Severus pulled his wife into his arms, her head on his shoulder and her body molded into the side of his own, reluctant to let her go. Barbara wasn't going anywhere. She clung to him, still kissing what she could reach of her husband, his chin, the side of his neck, his shoulder, until he turned toward her and the furor began again.

* * *

On Thursday morning, however, the awkwardness was not completely abated. That evening, they tried to discuss the issue. Barbara's choice of research would probably yield potions that would provide a high financial return and some notoriety, while Severus' preference was much more theoretical in focus and would provide research opportunities for several years. They tried to be clear headed and calm, but the conversation quickly went downhill.

"Barbara, I won't demean myself by appearing to seek attention that way."

"Why won't you at least consider this option? This type of potion would help a lot of people."

"I don't have the stomach to behave like a Minstry hack." Her wand was out in an instant.

"Well, you don't have to be such an intellectual snob!" His wand was suddenly in his hand, as well.

It wasn't much of a duel, as both combatants held themselves to simple jinxes. At one point, both cast the exact same shield charm at the same moment. Severus looked at his wife's hair all askew and knew his own face was smudged. He suddenly pictured her facing other opponents, witches and wizards who would use deadly curses, and his stomach turned over. He had to get out of there.

"Madam, I shall return later." He turned on his heel and went to a closet for his cloak.

"Severus? What? Where are you going?"

"I have something I must do."

"We need to finish this!"

"We're getting nowhere at this time. Go to bed. Maybe it will improve your attitude." And he was gone.

She ran to the door, "A well-hit stinging hex would improve my attitude, too!" She nudged along a passing cat with the toe of her shoe. "What are you looking at?"

Noises wafting from cribs in a nearby room brought her back to herself. She wandered toward those noises.

"Itsy, Bitsy!"

"Mistress?"

"I need help giving the babies their baths tonight. The master has had to go do something..."

"Of course, Mistress. We are happy to help with the little Master and Mistress."

Barbara smiled sadly. "Thank you."

* * *

Severus didn't come to bed that night. The babies woke Barbara in the middle of the night, and his side of the bed was untouched. _What has become of you?_ She wondered. She saw him, in his office at the house in Hogsmeade, writing resolutely in his notebook, and then on parchment. She didn't want to interrupt him but her sudden surge of affection must have been noticeable. He stopped writing for a moment and a sudden burst of warm feeling flooded her in return. She held that warm feeling to herself throughout the night and into the next morning.

Barbara had started to worry about him, again, the next day, when lunchtime came and she still had not seen her husband. She was sitting in the Great Hall, pushing her lunch around on her plate when a daffodil landed in her lap. Severus was standing beside her, looking at her with hope, and his love, and what else... fear? Her head fell to the table as she struggled not to cry in front of the whole school.

"Come." He lifted her out of the chair and pulled her arm through his, guiding her up the stairs and into his classroom. She couldn't see his face. She hoped he wasn't still angry with her.

"Severus, it doesn't matter--"

"Sh..." He put his fingertip to her lips. "Just follow my lead."

Barbara looked around the room and saw that the student desks were gone. Somewhere a wireless was playing. Without her realizing it, Severus had slid one hand around her waist and was grasping her hand with his other. He was leading her into a dance, but she stumbled.

"Look at me, Barbara, dear lady. Look into my eyes and dance with me."

There was nothing for it but to take a deep breath and do as he asked. She saw his love and remorse over their argument and forgiveness for her, not realizing that she was mirroring those same things into his eyes. He sighed and smiled as he looked down into her face and pulled her closer. She smiled back, and they glided easily around the room.

"Barbara, I simply cannot allow myself to look like I'm seeking public approbation or a fortune as working on those potions would do. If you wish to work on them, we don't need to work so closely together at the moment. We could each take one path..."

She shook her head. "It won't mean anything to me unless your name is on it. We'll proceed the way you want to do. Eventually you will get more glory from that as it will become the basis for far greater work."

He laughed and pulled her closer yet. "You have your Slytherin moments, dear lady."

"Your intellectual integrity is worthy of any Ravenclaw, Severus," she returned. "Meanwhile, I need to get to my afternoon classes and you have to set this room back to rights. Do you have detentions scheduled this afternoon?"

"More than usual."

"As do I. We'll have that dungeon cleared out by the end of term. What shall we work on next?"

"Let's worry about that this summer." He pulled her the rest of the way into his arms and kissed her. "I see that this will have to keep me, until later."

They looked at each other, sending promises back and forth with their eyes as Barbara walked from the room, bumping into Howard, who had been peeking in the window.

"Mr Prewett! Have you seen anything interesting?" Barbara asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, no, Aunt—Professor Merrill. I was just out here waiting for my class to begin."

"I see. Well, you might see if Professor Snape needs help preparing his classroom for your class."

Barbara was most of the way down the staircase leading to the main hall when the Headmistress stopped her. "I see there's a certain swing to your robe that's been missing this week, Professor Merrill. I take it you made good use of your lunch hour?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Headmistress," Barbara responded, wide eyed. "I had a short meeting with Professor Snape and we discussed the detentions we have lined up for this afternoon."

The Headmistress lips twitched. "I see. Try to go easy on the poor students. They've had a hard week, I hear."

"Do you suppose they have?" Barbara's voice was airy as she continued down the stairs to the dungeons. "I wouldn't know, but with OWLs and NEWTs coming soon, they are probably struggling to get ready..."

_A/N: The title of this chapter is part of a line from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream: "The course of true love never did run smooth."_

_Thank you, readers and reviewers, particularly! I'm especially grateful to MarkDarcy and excessivelyperky who have been tour guides to me in the world of fanfic._


	16. Fireworks and a Letter

_Disclaimer: JKR's world and people. I'm just playing around with an OC or two._

The students didn't know what to make of the difference between the Potions and Defense Professors on the next Monday as compared to the previous week. A privileged few recalled the wedding near the willow tree on the year before, but most of the students had not been there. All the students simply decided to be grateful for the easier day they were having in class that day. They knew better than to push their luck.

It was something of a surprise to the teachers, then, when Barbara, teaching the third year Gryffindors and Slytherins, and Severus, teaching the fourth year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, found their classrooms filled with the best of Weasley's Wild Fire Whiz-Bangs. Severus was able to send the ones in his room out a window, but Barbara had to use shield charms to move them through the hallways and out a door that lead to the garden.

While leaning out his window, Severus saw his wife standing outide the door and watched her for a minute. Motherhood had softened her features a bit, but she still had the same friendly face and pleasing figure. Knowing what was under the loose fitting robe only made him wish for the evening to come sooner. She looked up to his window and they exchanged a look.

They saw each other's classrooms in that look, comparing notes. Clearly the common factor was likely to be the Gryffindor house head. They had the Gryffindors in their classes clear up the mess in the rooms and excused the other students. The students kept behind found it odd that there were no points taken off and, far from being angry, the professors seemed amused, on the whole.

After being the rooms were set to rights, the Gryffindors were dismissed to dinner, but Merrill and Snape were nowhere to be seen. That pair was sharing a dinner in their sitting room, surrounded by flowers and memories of the previous year. Bitsy was beside herself, because they weren't eating so much as staring into each other's eyes, and Itsy was itching to clear up if they weren't going to eat.

The babies made their presence known and Barbara stood to go to them. She slid a muggle envelope across the table. "I found this while going through my parents' picture albums. That's Daddy's handwriting, but it's written to my husband." She kissed the top of his head and went into the other room.

Severus broke the seal and opened the letter.

_Dear Future Son in Law,_

_If you are reading this, it means our little girl has survived the war and its ramifications but I have not. If we were all alive, I will have told you all of this face to face._

_First of all, I wish to tell you that you are not good enough for my Barbara. It's nothing personal, just the confidence of a father that there is no man who deserves to be the husband to the precious girl he has raised. I'm sure you will know the same feeling some day as you ponder the possibility of any man marrying my granddaughters. I don't know how Bertha's unnatural father feels about such things, but I've always felt that I don't quite deserve her, either. My daughter has chosen you, however, and I trust her judgment._

_Secondly, please treat our little girl kindly. She has known horrors that she will not describe to her parents, but Bertha and I know the world from which we came. We can guess what Barbara has seen and experienced. We also know that she has an ability to rise above that and face the world with love and grace. I would not have that destroyed by the consistently cruel treatment of an unkind husband._

_I wish you to know a little bit about our lives. As you may by now know, Bertha and I came from wizard families. As products of far too much intermarriage, we are squibs. Somehow we were blessed enough to meet and marry as soon as Bertha came of age, disappearing into the muggle world of academia and research science. Clearly we retained enough of our wizarding family blood to produce Barbara, whose powers were readily visible from infancy. _

_We spent ten long years discussing how we would respond when the Hogwarts letter would inevitably come, sometimes deciding definitively to reject it. The letter was brought by Albus Dumbledore himself, who wanted to meet our Barbara. After shaking hands with her and speaking with her he told us it was important for her to go to Hogwarts. She wanted to go so badly that we could not say no, although it exposed all of us to the dangers of returning, at least in part, to a world that preferred that we not exist._

_During our daughter's Hogwarts years we watched Barbara grow into a lovely young woman and an accomplished witch. When that was over, though, we couldn't figure out to which world she wanted to belong. She worked long hours training at the Ministry, and also worked to obtain her credentials in the muggle world. Our pride in her knows no boundaries. We wondered if she would ever bring a young man around, but they were all "just friends" she would insist. _

_This last year with Barbara has been a pleasure. We love to have her with us, collaborating all together on our work, but it's finally clear that she belongs in the wizarding world. Since the battle, Barbara has been distancing herself from muggle things. Bertha and I have accepted that she is leaving our lives for good. I know that even as I write this, you have already become important to her. She looks forward to teaching at Hogwarts with a look in her eyes that tells me that I am no longer the most important man in her life. _

_As I have said above, you don't deserve her, but if you love her and treat her kindly, I will be content to have her future in your hands. If you will listen to the advice of an old man, married for over forty years, you will enjoy your lives together, using your joy in each other to work through the difficulties that will no doubt come, even in a world with no dark wizards. _

_Sincerely,_

_Richard (Lestrange) Merrill_

After putting the babies to bed, Barbara found her husband standing by a window in his darkened classroom, watching the fireworks going off. Every time it seemed that they were done, another one would spark up. She took advantage of the opportunity to look at him.

He had always been tall, but where in the past he had a tendency to slouch a bit with the weight of the secrets he kept, he now stood at his full height. His hair was still down to his shoulders and so fine that it had a tendency toward oiliness, but he no longer hid his face behind it. His features, always so pronounced, gave him an aristocratic look now that he no longer wore the face of a man who was hunted by memories of his past and realities of his present.

His eyes when she had met him had been haunted and empty. These days they showed a window into a man who was contented with his life. They could still flash with fury or snap with sarcasm, but when Barbara looked into his eyes she rarely saw anything but warmth and love, or welcome, as they looked upon her now.

Severus had turned to see her in the doorway. His eyes pulled her across the room to stand next to him and the window. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

"Happy anniversary," he said.

"Happy anniversary to you," she responded.

"This is for you." He handed her a picture of her parents in wedding clothes, a proper wizard picture where they smiled at each other and waved to her. She recognized the Leaky Cauldron.

"I didn't have any pictures from their wedding day."

"It was in the letter. They must have been quiet the pair, running away as soon as they were of age and then working so hard in the muggle world."

"They did what they thought they had to do, but yes, they were quite a pair." The pair's daughter smiled in memory.

"I think your father must have had a bit of your gift. From what he writes, he knew how you felt about me before you came to teach."

"It wouldn't surprise me. I'd been somewhat transparent, though. I never mentioned your name once in their hearing that I know of, but once I was of age and they started trying to set me up with the young men in their research group, I always compared them to a certain young wizard I knew. The last time I saw them, I'm sure they knew I had met someone to whom I hoped to become close."

"He said I don't deserve you, and he's right."

"He never met you, and that's for me to decide."

He kissed her again. "I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful backdrop tonight. Will you walk with me?"

"Yes."

As usually happened, their walk took them near the willow tree, where they had first met and later had married. He pulled her into his arms now and they kissed again and again.

"Is this setting a good example for the students? I think I should dock house points."

"Ah...Professor MacDonald. We should discuss your disruption of our classrooms, but right now we want to express our gratitude for celebrating our wedding anniversary in such a spectacular way."

Barbara nodded while her husband was speaking. "It's truly beautiful, if a bit coarse at moments. Thank you, Mary."

It clearly wasn't what Professor MacDonald was hoping for. "Why would you think I-- you've been arguing, and those were Slytherins and Ravenclaws in your classes--" She saw the bland looks in the other Professors' faces. She looked at Barbara. "I guess keeping you out here is better than having you two polish the teacher desks in all the classrooms, again. Is there a single classroom you've missed?"

Instead of asking Professor MacDonald how she would know such a thing, Barbara looked inquisitively at her husband.

"Well, we've left off the dungeon classrooms we haven't yet cleaned out," he said to her.

"That's true," Barbara answered.

Suddenly Professor MacDonald burst into tears. "Why, Mary, what is the problem?" asked Barbara.

"The unfairness of it all. One of you was a traitor, at least twice over, the other ran away and now you have everything. It should be _me_, here, with _my_ husband, this was _our_ special place! _We_ used to wander all over the school..." She ran away, leaving the two Snapes to watch her with bemusement.

It was a long minute before Barbara said, "I wonder what on earth she is speaking about. Something is about ready to crush her."

Barbara's husband put his arms around her and spoke into her ear. "I think the fireworks are just about done. Perhaps we should proceed to our bedroom and set off our own fireworks?"

"Unless you want me to polish your desk, that is, Professor..."

"Oh, no, Professor, these fireworks will be best seen from our marriage bed."

_A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing!_


	17. A Long Night

_Disclaimer: JKR's world. I just came to visit, with one or two OC's_

Barbara was grading exams in the dungeon, trying to concentrate. Her thoughts drifted back to moments of the previous night. At one point, when they were lying quietly in each other's arms a stray rocket went off right outside their window, showering them with glittering light. She sighed, smiling, and looked up to see a pair of faces looking into the classroom door.

"Well, good evening, Harry, Ginny. Come in."

"Barbara, have you heard from your husband recently? We were supposed to have a meeting with him right now. Actually, I had a meeting with him. Ginny was hoping to see, well..."

"The twins?" Barbara smiled. "No, he's not here. Isn't he upstairs in his office?"

"As far as we can tell there's no one in his office."

"He was going to grade papers up there while I graded down here. We kept getting distracted..." Barbara blushed and the younger people tactfully looked away. "Ginny, would you mind watching the babies? I'll go up and check."

Barbara ran up the stairs to the DADA professor's office, Harry right behind her. She unsealed the door and found her husband's office empty. Moving through the rest of the apartment, she found it likewise unoccupied.

"Nod!" The elf appeared. "Where is the Professor?"

"Master received a message, took his cloak and left, Mistress. Right there on his desk."

_Severus,_

_I have another request.  
__Please meet me as soon as possible where we discussed the last one.  
I'll be waiting._

A cold fear gripped Barbara and she closed her eyes. "Severus, wherever you are, help me find you.."

By dint of her will, she forced his eyes to open upon the fireplace in his mother's library. Dark shapes surrounded him

"He's at his house in Spinner's End, and there are dementors. How is this possible?" She turned to look at Harry. She sent her patronus to her husband. "I'm coming, please hold on." She grabbed her cloak and ran.

"I'll come with you," said Harry. They went down the hallway, down the stairs, and out the building.

She apparated as soon as she could and ran to the house. When she came at last to the library, she saw the dementors, circling her husband but going no closer. She cast her patronus again and Harry Potter did the same. The dementors dispersed.

They picked up Severus, who couldn't stand on his own. "Lily…" he was murmuring.

Barbara would never quite know how they reached the school hospital wing, but they arrived and Madam Pomfrey placed him in the same room where the twins were born.

After an initial look at Severus, Poppy looked up. "I cannot promise much, if the dementors have truly started to remove his memories. At least he hasn't been kissed." Barbara shuddered.

"Harry Potter... Look at me…" came from the bed. Harry bent down over Severus and they watched him close his eyes and go to sleep.

"That's sort of like what he said after the snake bit him," said Harry.

Barbara dragged Harry out into the hall. "What was he doing there?"

"I don't know any more than you do, but I'll find out."

"Who was he meeting? Who is working with dementors? Why are there dementors at large in people's houses?"

"Barbara." Harry put his hands on her shoulders. "I don't know any more than you do because I was with you. I'll find out, I promise."

Madame Pomfrey came out of the room. "He's not in any danger, but we will have to see what happens when he wakes up. Why don't you go to bed and I'll call you?"

Barbara was already shaking her head. "I have to be there when he wakes up. Itsy!"

The house elf appeared. "Mistress?"

"Can you bring the babies here for tonight? The master is ill and I want to stay with him. Harry," she turned and spoke with the young man, "Thank you for your help. Please give Ginny my thanks for her assistance tonight. Lean on everyone you know. Tell Kingsley I will not let this be ignored."

Barbara went back into the room and sat beside her husband, putting her ear to his chest and listening to his heartbeat. It was strong and clear and after a few moments she was soothed enough to do what came next. She spent the night by her husband's bedside, helping Madam Pomfrey to care for him. She only left for a short while to care for their children, who were in cots just outside in the main ward.

* * *

It was quite dark when he awoke.

"Severus! You're waking up! Thank goodness! How are you feeling?"

The voice sounded sweet and familiar. The hands that held his own were so comforting. Lips touched his fingertips and warmth spread through him. Severus Snape opened his eyes and looked toward the speaker, thinking of green eyes, but finding brown. He pulled his hands away. "Are you the healer?"

The woman bit her lip and exchanged glances with Madam Pomfrey before answering. "No, Professor. I'm Barbara." She paused; was that name supposed to mean something to him? "I was one of the... aurors who found you and got rid of the dementors."

Someone handed him a piece of chocolate. Suddenly he wanted it desperately and took a bite. It was comforting and made him feel warm.

"The snake, you mean."

"Well, the snake was already gone, of course... there were dementors, too."

"And the battle?" Her face tightened and looked thoughtful for a moment. He took another bite of the chocolate.

"Is won. Voldemort is gone forever. You did your part well, from all reports. You're a hero. Do you remember anything from being attacked?"

"Snake...then so cold and my happiest moment...gone. Dementors, you say?"

She was still biting her lip. "Yes. You had been stupified, too. We struggled to get you here, but you're safe, and you're going to be fine."

"Am I going to be arrested?"

She shook her head and smiled kindly. "Oh, no. Your actions and role during the past twenty years are much better understood, now. People will be quite kindly inclined toward you. You will see."

He finished the chocolate.

Poppy spoke up. "Severus, I have some of your own sleeping draught. Drink up and have a good sleep. We can discuss everything later."

He took the potion and strained to hear the women speaking as they walked out of the room.

"... two years," the auror woman was saying.

"...happiest memories first..."

"I have to get out...watch the twins?... on the grounds."

"...needs the truth... stronger, first."

"I don't think... decisions... a stranger...I'm sorry, I have to go."

His dreams were filled with a woman hunched on the ground near the whomping willow tree, sobbing. He needed to make her stop crying, but he couldn't get to her.

* * *

Barbara returned to the room after an hour. Poppy wanted to put her into a bed, too, but the look on the younger witch's face would not allow it. "Severus is sleeping well, but fretfully." Looking past Poppy, Barbara could see the tension in his hands, the distress in his face.

"Thank you, Poppy. I'll keep an eye on him for a while." She sat on the chair near her husband's bed and took his hands again. She felt them relaxing at her touch. When Poppy was gone, she moved to the bed and held his tortured face in her hands. "Oh, my darling, please be well and safe, and remember our beautiful life together, but mostly be well. We can figure out the rest." She kissed him then, and could have sworn that he kissed her back. She returned to the chair and watched as his face relaxed and his breathing eased. He would sleep better, now.

* * *

Severus awoke from his drugged sleep and slipped out of his bed. After visiting the bathroom, he looked around, recognizing the private room in the hospital wing. The auror was sitting in the corner of his room, asleep. He supposed that was natural, given the things he had done. The Ministy probably wanted to guard him in case he tried to do something. The infant clasped in her arms was a bit out of place. He walked over and looked at them. Peering down he saw a small sleeping face that looked very much like his own, pressed up against the bare skin of the woman's bosom.

Barbara awoke to a firm grip on her arm and a voice hissing, "Explain this," into her ear.

"Get back in bed. You're not steady on your feet, yet."

She matched him hiss for hiss and glare for glare. He felt exhausted and her voice carried some authority over him, so he did as she asked, keeping his eyes on her face as she straightened her robes. She looked up at him somewhat uncertainly and then adjusted her face to that of a school teacher. With her newfound perfect composure she calmly asked, "Exactly what would you like to know?"

That was the question. Something was completely out of order, but he wasn't sure where to start. Might as well keep to the things that he knew. "What is today's date?"

She gave him the date, almost two years after the day he had thought was yesterday. Make that something he had _thought_ he knew.

"Are you telling me that I've somehow forgotten nearly two years?"

"It would appear so. I didn't know you'd left the school. When I realized you were gone... We found you surrounded by dementors. I'm sorry, if we had found you sooner..." her voice trembled.

In two years, anything could happen. A lot of death and... life.

"Who is this child?"

"Nicolas. He is my son."

A son who looked remarkably like himself.

"Nicolas _Snape_?" She nodded, but he wanted to confirm it just to be sure. "I am the child's father?"

"Yes."

He couldn't see the auror very well in the dim of predawn, other than the chocolate brown eyes that had brought him back to consciousness and right now were boring holes into him. She wasn't that big but she held an air of authority. She was holding the child to her shoulder in the hands that had held his own... and then he saw it.

"You're wearing my mother's ring. Are we married?"

She nodded again, and he thought that maybe she was biting her lip again and swallowing hard, again.

"You realize, Mrs. Snape, that none of this fits with the man I know myself to be."

"The events of the last twelve hours are a bit of a surprise for me, as well." She was distracted by the baby for a few minutes. "I'm starting to grow weary of your tendency to go into danger without warning me." She patted the little back while he watched her.

Poppy came in, carrying another baby. She whispered, "I see you are just about done with Nicolas? Victoria wants you, now."

"There are _two_ of them?"

Poppy's head swung around toward the bed. The woman covered her face with her free hand before rising from the chair in which she sat.

"He's awake, Poppy, and he knows, but he doesn't remember. I'll take the babies so that you can check..." She nodded over at the bed, scooped the baby out of Poppy's arms with her free hand and walked from the room.

Madam Pomfrey approached the bed. "Good morning, Severus, are you ready for some breakfast?"

"Poppy, you know it is impossible for me to have a wife and children."

"And yet here they all are, Severus. You were married here at Hogwarts and the twins were born in this very room."

"How did she manage it?"

"I'm not sure she did much managing of anything. You acted like a couple very much in love. I've never seen a man happier to approach marriage or fatherhood." She changed the subject. "How are you feeling? Other than not remembering certain things, are you in any pain? Barbara looked you over pretty carefully, and thoroughly."

"That woman?" He had a horrible sense of indecency. He realized he was wearing his own nightshirt, instead of one of Poppy's horrible gowns. Perhaps not his own nightshirt, as it was of better quality than he was used to getting himself, except that it was comfortable and familiar... probably the work of that woman again.

"Your wife. If you ask me, she looked you over as if she knew what she's been looking for. She's been searching you for wounds pretty often. What have you been doing with yourself, Severus?"

He had no idea.

_A/N: Thank you, kind readers and reveiwers._


	18. A Long Morning

_Disclaimer: JKR's world and people. I'm just hanging out with a couple of OCs._

Poppy asked Filius Flitwick to visit Severus, to see if his memories had somehow been charmed. "No, not affected by spellwork," that wizard decided. "Most likely the dementors have left something. Some of your memories of the past two years must have been neutral if not unhappy."

"Filius, do you believe that I've been happily married all of this time to that woman?"

"Severus, I watched you court Barbara and how carefully you have watched over her. I can recall with perfect clarity the day the two of you married. I walked her down the aisle to you and I know the way you took her hand from mine and clasped it within your own. I came up here the day after those babies were born and watched as you couldn't decide which member of your family to embrace. Yes, Severus, you are very happily married."

The younger wizard sighed. "I don't remember anything about her."

"It's easy enough to believe that every memory you have of your wife is happy. Perhaps, though, something will come back if you just rest and don't try so hard. You've had some fairly public quarrels with her."

"I even like to quarrel, if my opponent knows what they're doing."

* * *

The woman came back after breakfast, dressed for school in dark blue robes and hat. "I thought you might want to catch up on your research, so I have taken the liberty of bringing your notebook up here. Maybe it would help you remember something. Since we've been collaborating, I've brought my own, too. Some of my records are more telling on some aspects and vice versa."

"It's pretty messy with all those flowers stuffed in it."

She smiled secretly. "Yes, well, if you can keep the flowers in their proper pages, I would appreciate it. Meanwhile, I will be covering your Defense Against the Dark Arts classes for today and until you're ready to return. The Easter holiday starts this weekend, so you needn't worry about that."

"YOU will teach my classes?"

"I've been the Potions Mistress for nearly two years now and we teach each other's classes all the time. I promise it will be fine and that you will find all of the papers in order just as you like them on your desk in your office when you leave here. If you wish, I can grade them for you, too, although there's the whole Easter break."

"Madam, I don't need a wife."

The only sign she showed that he had hit his mark was a slight wincing around her eyes. The pang that went straight to his own heart surprised him completely. Her face suddenly showed dismay when she realized what had happened.

"Oh, I'm sorry, too open..." She moved toward the door. "I'll see you later. I've put some personal stuff into my notebook. You've never read it before, but maybe you will find it informative now. I shall trust your discretion."

He looked at the outside of his own notebook. He knew, or thought he knew, what was in it. The flower-filled one was much more interesting. This one he opened to where the first flower lay, a red rose.

_...I don't know if I took a breath through that whole dance. Everything was his arms and eyes. I do know that I'm completely in love with him. Afterwards, we went to the tower and I asked him to kiss me. I was so forward, I all but threw myself at him. I don't know if I did anything right, but the feel of his lips are imprinted on mine and I know I will never have this with anyone else._

He touched his own lips and wondered. As far as he could remember, he had never kissed a woman, but his lips were telling him something different. He'd had a dream last night... Soft lips pressed to his that made everything seem fine. He turned the next page to find a daisy.

_I only have a moment, but cannot hold it in. He wants the wedding as soon as possible...during the Easter break. _

He was should be reading up on his research, but he couldn't resist her personal notes. He looked through the book at random, finding many flowers and notes.

Fresia_...just when I thought we would surely lose control, he stopped kissing me and told me goodnight. He says he wants to hold off until we belong completely together. I'm sure he's right, but oh, it's so hard to wait..._

So he was the one with restraint. Easy enough to believe, since that witch emoted all over the place. In that case he would have to watch his step around her. She was probably looking for a way to compromise him, somehow.

White rose_...and then he undid my buttons, allowing me time and space to overcome my nervousness. The consideration he has always shown me and my person, speaks as much of his love for me as his lips..._

He had thought that he would never have a wedding night, or any sort of night with a woman. If this notebook was true, he had indeed had a wedding night and no memory of it. That would be a classic example of his life.

Old fashioned rose_...I will never understand how we can quarrel so bitterly and yet come together that same night with such tender passion. I have to chalk up our differences to his careful deliberation and my own tendency to impulsiveness. Somehow we fit together perfectly into something that's more than the sum of our parts..._

Sentimental drivel.

Aster_...He goes to cultivate the old Death Eaters, hoping that some will change their minds. Most do not and are arrested. It hurts him so badly. Waiting for him to come home is such torture and seeing his dear face such a relief..._

Now he could prove that the woman was a liar. He'd known his face for forty years and that it couldn't be dear to anyone.

Pansies_...They look so much like him and I am madly in love with all three..._

Well, the boy did look like him, and the woman seemed to have a certain affection for the child. For the children's sake, he would need to check up on Professor Barbara—oh yes, it was on the front cover of the book—Merrill, to make sure she was a good mother.

Nothing he read matched the person he was. He knew that much. He found the last entry. There was no flower and it was dated this morning.

_...They don't know why he was there nor whom he was meeting. I had no idea he was not in his own office. If I had only known a fraction of time sooner, what could we have saved? There cannot have been an hour between the end of his last class and when we found him. I know the dementors feast upon the happy thoughts of people, but is there nothing left of me or for me? How can I accept the difference, between the man who used every inch of our bed just the night before last and the man who lies in the hospital bed right now? I should be grateful that he's alive and physically unharmed, but it will be so hard to go back to friendship after what I have known._

He pictured his bed—and realized that he didn't know where it was these days—and tried to picture a brown eyed woman in it. This description from the night before last was oddly stirring.

* * *

She came back at lunch time. "I just wanted to check in, see if there is anything you need."

He swept her with his eyes and if he had the slightest feeling about her, she did not see it in his face. "Madam, I don't know how I came to fall in love with you, if I actually did. I warn you that I'm not going to live out some schoolgirl fantasy."

Again that wince, but no pain for him this time. "I see you've read my personal notes. Again I request your discretion, sir."

"Are you using Occlumency against me, now?"

"Not against you...Given the state of things, I don't think I should allow my mind or heart to be so wide open to you. I don't want you to be hurt by something that you don't remember."

"So what are we to do about our...ah...situation?"

She could compose a pretty cool face when she chose. "We can get through this, together."

"Together? Do you really think you can, if I don't want it?"

"If you will allow it, then." Her eyes glittered and she blinked them, hard.

"And our children?"

"We will all be as close as you wish."

"How can you do this, knowing I can give you no hope of love?"

"I'll take what I can get." The quiet passion in her voice hit him like a stunning spell.

"What if that is nothing?"

She was speaking coolly but her eyes were still glittering. "Perhaps I should leave. There are a lot of classes to cover this afternoon." She walked toward the door.

"If you don't mind..."

She stopped and turned her head sideways. He took a moment to look at her profile. Her hair was swept up and her face, although not as beautiful as some he could name, was nevertheless pretty and welcoming. And starting to look impatient.

"I would like to read the letters I wrote to you."

She nodded. "Certainly. I keep it all on my desk in my office... except for the note you wrote when you gave me your copy of Professor Slughorn's text. That's in our bedroom in Hogsmeade." That was more information than he wanted. She was chattering.

"Why would Slughorn's text be in our bedroom?"

She blushed and turned back around. "Sometimes we read together in the evenings, and if we've been struggling with our research, we find that the Professor's way of expressing things is helpful to us in thinking things through. At least, we have in the past."

"We read Slughorn before retiring at night? I begin to think you may indeed be a woman after my own heart. Do we find that some passages are inspiring at such moments?" His look made her feel undressed.

She turned redder. "You needn't mock me. I think you have the letters I've written to you, as well, but I'm not sure where you keep them."

"I can guess. So the next time you come back, will you read me from Slughorn? You do have quite a pleasant voice."

"Good afternoon, Professor." She was gone.

_A/N: It's not really proper for Barbara to put personal notes and flowers into her lab journal._

_Thank you to the readers and especially the reviewers!_


	19. A Longer Afternoon

_Disclaimer, JKR's of course, except for an OC or two._

Poppy let him out of the hospital wing that afternoon and he first went to the Headmistress' office.

"Severus! Poppy told me you were better."

"Minerva, the world has gone crazy. Tell me it has. Tell me I'm not really married and that woman and her children don't even exist. I cannot possibly have done all that."

In answer, the Headmistress walked over to the cabinet that had long held Albus Dumbledore's instruments and got out the pensieve. She removed a memory from her head and placed it into it. She took a second memory and placed it into the basin, as well. Then she looked at Snape for a minute, twisting her lips in amusement, and finally added a third memory. She pushed the basin across the desk.

"I'm not sure..."

"It's a direct command from your employer, then."

He took a deep breath and went into the pensieve. When he came out several minutes later, he was shaking his head.

"That poor woman. She's going to end up heartbroken. Obviously someone was impersonating me."

Minerva snorted. "Not likely, Severus. Poppy told me that you've seen your son. He can have no father except yourself."

"I don't know how it happened, then. That man cannot be me."

"Oh, yes he can, Severus Snape. Can you honestly tell me that you never wanted a son or daughter of your own, let alone a wife? Keep in mind that I knew you before your heart was broken, beaten down by the Marauders, or seduced by the Death Eaters."

The subjects of several portraits were practically hanging outside of their frames, listening avidly to the conversation. Snape looked up and saw them.

"I suppose you all have something to add?"

Armando Dippet cleared his throat. "Well, we've seen you with the professor in question, engaging in... shall we say extracurricular activities? You've been all over the castle with her."

"I've never seen a cushioning charm used quite that way," added Dilys Derwent.

Dumbledore added, "My old Transfiguration classroom will never be the same, I fear."

Phineas Black simply shook his head and bellowed, "Shameless, you two!"

Dilys looked over at Black. "Oh, Phineas, dry up! It was just two people doing what comes naturally. They are of age, and even married, unlike some relatives of yours I could mention. Maybe, if you'd taken Ursula for a tour of the castle once in a while, you wouldn't be such a stick in the mud."

Severus buried his face in his hands. "I cannot think about this right now. Minerva, can you help me to understand what has been going on with the school, at least?"

McGonagall smiled and took pity on him. "You are the Defense teacher. Your classes are covered, although I'm not sure whether Barbara has had any sleep since sometime yesterday." Severus knew part of the answer to that question. "You are certainly free to take them back on as you feel able. We can ignore the Deputy Headmaster duties for the moment. The Easter holiday starts at the end of the week and perhaps by the end of the holidays you will feel more yourself."

"Minerva...I feel I need to explain what happened the night Albus died..."

She patted his hand. "We've already discussed it at length, Severus, as well as a great many other things. Many of us have had to ask forgiveness as well as to forgive each other."

Severus spent an hour with Minerva going over the particulars and then made his way to his own quarters, which he learned were the Defense professor's apartments. They were for the most part as he remembered them, but had known a woman's touch. _That_ woman's touch. She had left flowers everywhere and it was obvious that she had moved out quickly.

Looking at his desk, he found that everything, indeed was placed just as he liked it. The exception was a framed picture of himself and the woman with those two babies. He had to admit, just to himself, that it was a pleasant if unlikely idea. The picture Snape certainly thought his family was wonderful, based on the way he looked at them all. He opened a drawer to drop the picture into it and found the letters she mentioned. He'd had enough of her sentiment for one day, and turned his back on the desk.

He sat in his office chair closest the fire and was assaulted by the smell of roses and lavender. If he closed his eyes he could almost see softness, and comfort, and sweet lips turned toward his, but there was nothing tangible. He opened his own notebook. Just as he thought, his notes were on research. Well, mostly. He looked at this notebook at random, too.

_She evokes such feelings in me. We quarreled over our research this evening when suddenly she smiled and agreed with me. I was overcome by such a sudden emotion that I couldn't speak. She started chattering, which makes me wonder if she felt it, too..._

She did evoke feelings in him, that's for sure. Feelings that he was being taken in, for the most part.

_...She certainly took care of Goyle this afternoon when he accused her of putting me under an imperius curse. What a magnificent woman..._

In reading the narrative of her discussion with the student, he couldn't help but be impressed, if it really happened like that.

_I've never known such an emanation of feeling from anyone in my life. As I study it, I realize that she's been almost constantly watching me for a very long time. The look in her face has a certain hunger about it that knows nothing of avarice. Her greatest desire is to care for me..._

He'd seen that look. The woman must be a pest.

_...She broke down all of my barriers tonight and I can only look forward to the moment when she will be mine completely, and—I cannot believe I'm writing this—when I will be hers completely. So much depends upon her answer tomorrow..._

This part was the most baffling episodes he read about, now that he had seen it from both points of view. How could he have let a woman, not Lily, do such a thing to him?

_...I never thought belonging to another person so completely would be such a freeing experience. She trusts me so totally and I feel that I can do anything because of it..._

Goyle's theory was starting to look good, here.

_...Whenever I find myself in pain, all she needs to do is touch me to make me feel better. There is such welcome in her arms, and comfort..._

He had experienced this when he awoke and she was holding his hands. This part must be true enough.

_...Our connection is so strong, so complete, that I cannot hurt her without hurting myself, too..._

This part was true enough, too, although apparently she was trying to protect him through Occlumency, now. He didn't need her to protect him. He was an Occlumens, too.

_I cannot believe the overwhelming good fortune that has allowed me to have children. Seeing her with the twins has been so very profound. I, Severus Snape, have fathered an actual son and an actual daughter, I now have a stake in the future..._

He couldn't face this part of the story and therefore couldn't read any more, so he sought her out in the dungeon. The students didn't seem to find anything odd about seeing Professor Snape glowering outside the dungeon as class ended.

"Professor? Oh, the letters. You'll find them on the desk of my office, tied together with a _schoolgirl's_ ribbon..." She pointed to the door that lead to the Potion Mistress' office.

"Are you sure I really loved you?"

If he didn't remember her, he at least knew how to cut her to the quick. "You gave every indication..."

She twisted the ring on her hand. "You seemed uncomfortable with me wearing your mother's ring. I've tried to remove it, but..." He could see that it wouldn't come off.

"Don't bother," he said, tonelessly, his last hope that it was all somehow a mistake struck down, "it's enchanted. It only works when the couple share a real love or I couldn't have put it on your finger. It won't come off under circumstances in which you would return it to me or I would demand it from you."

"I'm sorry. Your ring, however, is not enchanted. I suppose you don't have to wear it if you don't wish to." She turned and tidied up shelves, rearranging ingredients that had been misplaced.

He looked in surprise at his own hand. He saw the ring there and started to twist it, but he found that he didn't want to remove it. "Wouldn't it be a source of scandal if I took it off?"

"No scandal is worth more to me than easing your discomfort right now. Please suit yourself."

"I'm surprised you are not fighting to hold on to me, that you haven't tried to do something like cry or profess your undying love for me."

"First of all, it wouldn't work. Second of all, it would be underhanded and I don't want you like that. We came to know each other as equals and we have respected each other as equals and if you love me again, we will be two people coming together freely, as equals. Don't interpret it as disinterest, though. My every desire is to have you back as my husband."

He grabbed her hand and spun her around, looking into her eyes coolly. She couldn't hide her feelings from him and before she knew it, he was probing her mind, not delicately as he had done in the past, but desperately rifling through her thoughts, searching for anything he could remember himself.

"You're from the Quality Dungeon at Ministry…I got you this job."

"Yes."

"I do remember you, from way before…we used to correspond about our work."

"Yes."

"Did I know you before then?"

"Not really."

"You knew me."

"In a way. We overlapped here as students."

"Were you ever my student?"

She pursed her lips. "You've never forgotten a single one of your NEWT level students." His gaze into her eyes was broken. "I graduated right before you came back as a teacher. We were students at the same time for several years and I don't think you ever really noticed me. I wasn't anybody when I was a student here."

Her comment was almost bitter and somehow that was odd. He released her and she almost fell, taking a step backwards to catch herself, and her breath.

"Are you quite all right, Madam?" He lifted an eyebrow and she blanched. "Do I frighten or disturb you?"

"I must admit this is a side of you to which I am not accustomed."

"How unfortunate, for you. Tell me, Professor, why did you move your things out of our rooms?"

"You said you have no need for a wife. I am not going to force myself on you. I'll come back when you want me."

"_If_ I want you."

She looked him square in the eye. "If you want me."

"What are your plans for the holidays?"

"We own a home here in Hogsmeade. We were going to stay there with the babies and with some orphaned students who are now part of our family."

"That's what _I _wanted? I think I may go to my home at Spinner's End."

"I'm not sure that's a valid option at the moment. That's where we found you, surrounded by dementors, and someone had stunned you before that. It's not a safe place for you." For a moment she wasn't speaking dispassionately. She was looking into his face with distress.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you speaking as a wife or as an auror?"

"They're the same person as far as you are concerned." The coolness returned to her voice.

"I hear that one of the students once suggested that you had me under an _imperius_ curse."

In response she handed him her wand. "A simple _priori incantatem _should tell you the answer to that question. I would have to cast the spell pretty often to keep it going for two years."

"You're not very easy to intimidate."

"I love you too much to let you push me away." She was looking at him intently.

He was looking at her in contemplation. "A hunger that knows nothing of avarice..." He handed her wand back. "I know what waking from _imperius_ feels like. You've done nothing of the sort."

A cry came from the private quarters and she edged around him toward the door to her office.

"If you don't mind, Professor…"

"Ah, but I do mind, Professor. I would like a closer look at my progeny."

"Certainly, if you wish it."

They moved through her office into the next room and the woman who was his wife became a different person. Suddenly the imposing witch who sparred so competently with him was a soft and gentle mother. She smiled to see Victoria looking up.

"Look at mama's big girl and see who's here?" Victoria looked at her father and smiled, waving her arms and legs. "Oopsy-daisy! Come here big girl. Let me change you and then we'll take care of your other issues."

Severus stood by the door, unable to move farther into the room. He was incapable of turning into an affectionate parent just then. He watched as the woman who was his wife cared for their daughter. He was struck by how his own dark features looked on such a small and perfect package. Barbara then carried the baby over to an easy chair.

Curiosity took over. He walked toward the cribs and looked at his still sleeping son. He was startled by the wave of emotion that hit him and almost had to look away, but kept his gaze on the little face. He wouldn't look toward what that woman was doing while she got her daughter situated.

After listening to the soft sounds coming from that side of the room, he chanced a glance up. The face that had been so serious when looking at him was transformed when looking at the child. He caught his breath at the beauty of it. Startled by the sound, the mother lifted her eyes and they melted into his own before she remembered and looked down in confusion. As he watched a look of sorrow and love took over her face that went straight to his own heart.

He couldn't take any more and fled.

_A/N: Thank you to reviewer Mark Darcy who recommended using the pensieve! _

_Thank you to everyone who reads and reviews._


	20. Bad Attitude Thursday

_Disclaimer: JKR's world, one or two OCs are mine._

Severus was frowning at his breakfast the next morning. It broke her heart to see him so unhappy. Barbara knew she should probably just leave him alone, but somehow she could not do it. She walked over to him and put her hand on his arm.

"Severus?" She completely startled him.

He looked up with a scowl.

"I just wanted to say good morning and give you my best wishes for the day."

He stood, then, tossing her hand off his arm in the process and nodded his head to her. "Thank you, Madam." Turning from her, he sat back down.

It was definitely a dismissal, but as she left the room she chanced a look and saw that he wasn't scowling quite so hard and he was at least eating. Poppy caught her eye and nodded, smiling. When Barbara got to her office, she decided to send a quick note.

_Dear Draco,_

_If your schedule permits, could you please come to visit the Professor, soon? He's been under the weather, for lack of a better way to phrase it, and could use a friendly face._

_Appreciatively,  
__Barbara_

Severus ignored her for the rest of the day, and Barbara decided to let it go. As far as she could tell, from peeking in on him, he was studying two years worth of research and brewing some of the potions they had made during that time. It's what she would have done under the circumstances. She might find herself brewing, yet, herself. Somehow the world made better sense when viewed through the steam of a well-tended cauldron.

* * *

Professor Snape was not actually in his office all day. After lunch he was summoned to the Headmistress' office. Still wearing the scowl with which he started the day, he knocked her office door. When it opened, he found her chatting with the Minister of Magic.

"Shacklebolt, I cannot imagine what brings you here."

"No? There are several matters here between us, Snape."

Minerva intervened. "It so happens that Kingsley can provide some memories that might help you piece the last few years together, Severus. I'm going to go against my better judgment and leave you two to work on this. The pensieve is right here. Again, Severus, consider it a condition placed upon you by your employer, if necessary."

Kingsley put several memories into the pensieve and Severus looked at them. He saw things that were easy to believe and things that made no sense at all. Again he came out of the pensieve, shaking his head.

"If it were not for those babies, I could find a way to disbelieve it all."

The minister removed those memories and put a different one into the basin. "This was right after her parents died."

Severus saw the Minister and Merrill sitting in a waiting room. She was hunched over with her head in her lap and he had a hand on her back, patting it absently.

"I've lied to him," came a moan from the woman.

"No, you've simply withheld the truth," was the answer, "and only because you were under orders. I should change those orders and have you tell him everything."

"I can't do that, now, Kingsley! He'll know it was a lie and think that everything was a lie."

"What _everything_, Barbara?" The Minister regarded his friend for a moment and asked, "Barbara, are you in love with him?"

She looked up, then, wiping her face with a handkerchief. "Of course I love him. He looks at me and I see myself, and him, and children... I'm beginning to think that since my first year at Hogwarts I've been preparing to be in love with this man."

He patted her back some more. "He may feel the same way. He seems to fancy you."

"No, he's just being nice. He's got another attachment--"

"Then it won't hurt anything to tell him the truth. I'll come with you to Hogwarts tonight and help you."

A long moment of silence. "You're right, Kingsley. Thank you."

He pulled her into a hug. "Anytime, Mama Bear."

She giggled. "Don't call me that." It had the feel of a long standing inside joke.

Snape came out of the pensieve and looked at the Minister. "Why show me that? Will she appreciate your breach of her confidence?"

Kingsley waved his hand. "I don't think she will mind, at this point. You need to be aware, Snape, that you're dealing with a person who is completely devoted to you. She had a wide choice of jobs two years ago. She chose the ones that allowed her to work with you, first in the Ministry dungeon and then here. Since you were the one who worked so hard to get her the job here, it was clear that you fancied her, too."

"I think I get it, Minister. If I make her unhappy, you're going to come after me. You made that point several times, according to your memories."

"Not quite, Snape. I can see that you may not find it within your power to make her happy at this point. Just treat her kindly and we're still good."

"Treat her kindly..." It resonated with something, a whisper of a memory, and then nothing.

"That's what Minerva wanted me to discuss with you. I also need to know about what happened the other night. Do you remember anything?"

"Just what I piece together from what I've been told. There was a note, and I went to my house, and they found me surrounded by dementors. You can probably get more from Merrill."

"And I will. Do you still have the note?"

"Somewhere, I can send it to you." He was being deliberately vague, but didn't want the note in Ministry hands until he had figured it out, himself.

"You do that. It may be our only chance to figure out who would still want to hurt you after all this time."

"Any idea who at ministry would permit the dementors to have been sent like that?"

"Whoever it was covered their tracks well enough that we haven't found them yet. We will, though. The Ministry is slowly getting better."

The two men shook hands and Snape went back to his office. He set a cauldron simmering and added ingredients. When it came time to let it simmer, he sat down and looked through the steam. Everything centered around those babies. If it weren't for the babies, he could explain the whole thing as polyjuice and an hysterical woman. The babies proved his theory wrong, and the babies were somehow the part of the whole story he most wanted to be real.

That wasn't entirely true, either. If he looked at the steam from the cauldron in just the right way, he could almost see a witch with upswept hair stirring that cauldron while he wrote the notes in front of him, could picture the saucy smile on her face when she turned to make a comment. The comment might or might not actually pertain to the potion at hand.

Severus couldn't stay away, and followed Barbara back to the dungeon after dinner. The elves were clucking over the babies, who were starting to stir. Barbara picked up the noisy one, who happened to be Victoria, and sat down with her. Severus sat across the room.

For several minutes all that was heard in the room were the soft noises between mother and child. Eventually the baby finished and the mother held her and spoke motherly nonsense to her. "Who's my big girl? You're getting so big! Mummy loves her girl!"

"Professor…Barbara…I want to try to be a father to these children."

She stood and carried the baby over to him. "There's no better time to start than now. You usually hold the one and burp her or him while I feed the other." He was supposed to take the baby but the sight granted by the opening in her robes had his attention. She misunderstood. "Don't be so shy! You won't break her. You haven't yet... Yes, like this, and now pat and rub her back." She turned and spoke to Nicolas, who was just waking up, "Okay, little man, the lady has gone first, now it's time for the gentleman."

There was something pleasant in sitting comfortably with a small baby held to one's chest, smelling her sweetness and patting her back. He looked over at Barbara and her son to see the same rapt expression as before on her face as she cooed to the baby. A bubble erupted from the small body he was holding. Without thinking he shifted Victoria into the crook of his arm and looked into her face. She smiled up at him and again without thinking he smiled back.

"We've done this, often."

She nodded.

When Nicolas was done, they gave the babies baths and dressed them for night. Severus was surprised at how easily it came to him and at how much joy he took in holding the small bodies, even in soothing them when they were fussy. He knew a moment of wonder when Nicolas yawned and went to sleep, secure within the arms of a father who didn't feel secure, himself.

"Barbara," he whispered, "do you think...if I did it more gently this time...would you let me see some of our memories? I don't know anything about you or them. I want to know."

Victoria was asleep, too. Barbara kissed her and put her into one crib, then took Nicolas from Severus and likewise kissed and put him down. "They'll sleep for hours, now."

She put an impenetrable spell on the door and led him into the bedroom. It was brighter and more cheerful than when he used it. Rather, than he remembered using it. There was more light, and she had pictures of him and the children on every available surface. And the bed... It seemed as though it would be perfectly natural to embrace this woman and sweep her onto this bed...

His imaginings were stopped. She was sitting on foot of the bed and motioned for him to join her. "I'll try to keep things in order and start at the beginning."

"_Legilimens..._" He didn't have to concentrate very hard on the spell. He was drawn into her mind as if she had reached out a hand and pulled.

He got lost in their story. The conversations, the letters, even the quarrels. He had to stop at Halloween. "What happened after we left Godric's Hollow?"

"I don't honestly know. I think that you and Harry came to some sort of understanding, though. You said that you were able to see more of his mother in him where before you only saw his father."

"That's not what I recall... or do I?" He had a vague recollection of showing the younger man the same playground where he had first seen Lily, and the quiet questions the young man had asked.

"Harry's in and out of the school quite a bit these days, since I haven't been able to take the DA back on, fully, yet, so if you could just try..."

"I see where you're going with this. I have to be pleasant."

"He will be pleasant to you, first. It won't be so bad."

He let it go. "What of us?"

"You tell me."

"I just don't know."

"You're still feeling the effects of a room full of dementors as well as being hit by a stupify." She put her hand on his arm again. "Give yourself some time."

_

* * *

_

She was between sleep and consciousness. His lips were devouring hers and she eagerly kissed him in return as her hands went around his back. His own hands were caressing her, touching her hair, her face, her shoulders, and gently moving further down, waking her from her slumber...

She sat up, gasping for breath. He was still there in the edges of her mind, trying to recapture the moment and continue from there. _Oh, no you don't. You want me or you don't, but you can't have it like that._

She tried to relax and found herself drawn to a memory. _They were on the grounds of the school, near the willow tree. She lost her breath as she looked into his face when he leaned down to kiss her. When they were both old and looked much different, she knew she would still always see him as he looked in that moment. His face was always so dear, but in that moment he looked exultant in the joy of being married at last._

_How they rejoiced and celebrated that day! She remembered his arms around her, as they walked to the Great Hall, as they greeted their guests, as they danced together, and he whispered promises into her ears... promises for the future and promises for the coming evening._

_How timid she was when the moment finally came. Not of him! Never of him, but perhaps a little nervous of what was coming. He understood and instead of undoing all of those buttons with a flick of wandless magic, he undid them one by one, allowing her a chance to catch her breath and to get used to the idea of his hands on her body. By the time he had reached them all, her shivers of nervousness had become trembling of something else. There was a little murmur of a jest and then she was in his arms, her gown falling to the floor and both of them sinking to the bed._

_They took their time, then... learning the secrets of each other... and of themselves... murmurs of delight and surprise... and finally the joy of coming together... and later the tranquility of his arms as he whispered endearments into her hair... her whole life becoming that moment when their marriage fully began._

Barbara sighed. Whatever her life held next, she knew what it was to be a dearly loved wife, whatever her husband might say.

_Madam, I..._

Would he never leave? She shut the door of her mind then, and ignored the knocks upon it.

* * *

It was his turn to sit up and breathe deeply. Her pillow was clenched in his hands. He'd had no intention of invading her dreams in that way. He wasn't sure how it had started, just that the smell of her, of this pillow, had overwhelmed him and that it was the most natural thing to kiss her, and then to continue. How had he known what to do? Eventually he might have to admit to himself that this marriage was real.

She had been right to end the dream in the way she had. But surely she didn't begrudge him the memory of their wedding day. It was his memory, too. It was certainly more complete than Minerva's or Shacklebolt's memory of that day. It was funny how he couldn't remember it, but as he saw it in her memory he could feel the buttons under his fingers, smell her hair, and taste her lips. He wanted more.

_Please... _She was now reciting the periodic table to keep him out. He knew enough of muggle science to recognize it. She didn't want to open herself up to him again. He would see her in the Great Hall in the morning.

He leaned back, holding her pillow in his lap. She made him seem so noble in her memories. How lovely she was in the wedding gown, so innocent and yet so eager for him on their wedding night. How sweet she was, so delicate, but strong enough to love him and their children by whatever means necessary. He didn't know if he was surprised to realize that he had such tender feelings toward her.

For her sake he should become that man, but he was so tired of being what others expected or needed from him. His whole life as he remembered it had been given for the sake of what others wanted. On the other hand, it would almost be worth it to be what she wanted. Clearly it had its rewards, but he couldn't decide in this state of mind.

"Nod!"

It was time to get up. There were still months of potions to get through and perhaps time for a brew or two before breakfast. If he had come to know their notebooks by now, he would face more than recipes.

_A/N: Thank you, readers and especially reviewers!_


	21. There is no Try

_Disclaimer: JKR's world. I'm just visiting with an OC or two._

Barbara wasn't at breakfast, and Snape was disappointed. He should have realized that perhaps she wouldn't want to face him under the circumstances. It was a safe guess that she wouldn't want to take his classes, either. He cast a calculating glare around the Great Hall. He hoped that he would know all the students he faced this day. Severus went to his office and wrote a quick note.

_Merrill,_

_My apologies for the unwarranted intrusion. Under the circumstances, it is better that I take my own classes today._

_Snape_

He sent the note off with Nod and took a moment to ponder this odd bit of his life. He had no idea how his relationship with the elf started. Somehow Snape knew, that this was the elf who knew what he wanted and how he wanted it. From his first cup of coffee in the morning to which nightshirt he was likely to want on a given night, the elf knew his moves.

Fortunately, Professor Snape didn't have first or second years that day, and classes went well. Sensing his grim mood, the students acted like the rabbits he remembered. He allowed himself to be drawn into the mundane way he had always done things: Points granted, points taken, a slight advantage given to his own house, and detentions. He had no idea what he issued as detentions lately, and it was the last class day before the holiday, so he told them that the detentions would be determined after they got back. Let them stew about _that _while enjoying their vacation. He managed a sardonic smirk. Routine could be a lovely thing.

Severus knew an odd moment with the fourth year Hufflepuffs when he caught one of the girls smiling shyly at him. Montague was a sweet girl, and she reminded him of something he couldn't place. It was something pleasant, he realized. Surprising himself, he smiled back and nodded to the blackboard and she went back to work.

The best part of Snapes day was a surprise visit from one of his favorite students in recent years.

"Mr. Malfoy! How unexpected! How are your parents?"

"Just fine, Professor. My mother sends her greetings, and my dad says that there's something he's still willing to take off of your hands if you like."

"More of his cryptic intrigues, I'm sure. I cannot imagine what I could have that he would want. Come to my office. What brings you here?"

"Well, Professor, I received a short note from Barbara this morning saying that you might enjoy a visit from me."

Snape glowered. "'Barbara?' Don't tell me that you're a member of Professor Merrill's fan club."

"Pardon?"

Severus shook his head to clear it. "I'm sorry, Draco, but I'm not myself this week. Let me explain what I can of the situation. It would seem that I answered this summons," he handed the note from his desk to the younger man and saw the startled look in his eyes. He nodded. "At some point later, Professor Merrill and someone she hasn't named found me at my house at Spinner's End, surrounded by dementors. When I awoke in the hospital wing, I couldn't remember anything beyond when you put the potion on the snake wounds two years ago."

Draco swallowed hard. Professor Merrill—Barbara—had clearly entrusted him with an important commission, to help his favorite Professor. "Barbara didn't mention any of this in her letter. She just said you were under the weather and might appreciate a visit from me."

"First things first. You see the same thing I do about this note?"

"That it's my mother's handwriting? Yes, but it isn't quite her handwriting. It looks forged."

"Not many people could possibly know of your mother's visit to me when she begged me to protect you from the Dark Lord. She is one of the few people I would rush to assist like that. Do you know who could have created this forgery?"

"I can guess, sort of. My father may have been involved. Can I get back to you?"

"I have all the time in the world, I suppose. Meanwhile, what do you think of this Professor Merrill? She seems to be trying to embroil me in an intrigue of her own."

"I wouldn't consider marriage to be an intrigue. Quite honestly, Professor, she's perfect for you. You enjoy each other's company, you teach almost exactly the same way, you both give out detentions with fiendish delight, and as far as I could tell, you can't keep your hands off each other, even when she's nine months pregnant."

_Or even when we're sound asleep, two floors away from each other_, Severus thought. He looked as if he smelled something rotten and said, "You mean, we were indiscreet?"

"Oh, no, I never really saw you snogging or anything like that. But whenever you're in the same room, you are always touching each other. Holding hands, special looks, that sort of thing."

"Do you think she really loves me?"

"After you described what happened when she removed your Dark Mark, I can't believe you can ask that question."

Severus rubbed his left arm. "You forget, Draco, that I don't remember any of it. What did you just say?"

* * *

"You removed my mark?" He had eaten his dinner and finished his visit with Draco while keeping this one thought prominent in the back of his mind. Now he stood in her doorway, confronting her with the question without preamble.

"Why Severus! Of course I forgive the intrusion, of last night _and_ now..."

"Where on earth did you get the nerve to do that?" Black eyes glared down at brown ones.

"I didn't exactly hit you over the head and remove it without you knowing what was happening."

"I never gave permission for something like that."

"Only because it never occurred to you that it could be done."

"Have you meddled in every facet of my life, then?"

"We're married, with _everything_ that implies."

"That doesn't mean you have to stick your nose into every bit of my business, Madam."

Barbara looked her husband over with her arms folded and her mouth set. He was clearly intent upon the one topic of conversation, so she relented.

"That's not how it was. You seemed so upset about it. Here..." She sat with him on the couch. Wordlessly, she pulled him into her memory of the day it happened. When she let him out, he looked away.

"We weren't even married, yet."

"I had already lost all sense of myself apart from you by then." He chanced a look at her and saw her heart in her eyes. He looked away again.

"You had to see me as a monster. I _was_ a monster."

"Severus, I told you that who you were before wasn't important. I was with the man you were then, looking forward to the man you aspired to be."

"What of all the horrible things you saw?"

"You were no longer that man. You've worked to change what you can. You had already started that work when we removed the mark."

"What if my aspirations have changed? What if I want go back to being the man with that mark?"

"Were you _ever_ that man?" Silence. She chanced a hand on his shoulder. "I am so completely in love with you, even that doesn't matter. I love the man you are now, too."

He didn't want her to see how her quiet passion affected him. He turned toward the clock.

"I should leave."

"I think you should look at one more memory, first."

He saw her sobbing on a davenport and himself arguing, but then comforting her.

"You were the woman crying like that by the willow tree the other night. I heard you."

"I had been so worried, but you were fine, except you didn't remember me and I felt a little self pity. It didn't occur to me to close my mind to you. I'm sorry, Severus." She looked carefully into his eyes. "We have a special connection. Sometimes in sharing the anguish of others, I get overcome. Whenever we touch and open our minds to each other it's resolved. We comfort each other."

He thought for a minute. "That's why when I tried to hurt you I ended up hurting myself."

She looked embarassed. "We've gotten used to having our minds wide open to each other all the time, I'm afraid I'd forgotten about it. I've been using Occlumency, now, because it's not fair to you, to have this pain come at you when you didn't understand how it was happening."

"That's also why you touched my arm yesterday at breakfast and I felt better." She looked at him evenly. "But now I do understand, or at least I know what is happening."

He had an urge to hold her as he had in that memory her but wasn't sure if he knew how. Tentatively he put an arm around her shoulders. She folded right into him, her head under his chin. "I'm so glad you're safe, Severus." It felt so natural, as though she had been made to fit into his arms and yet he had no memory of it, not a memory that was his own.

She looked up. "How did your classes go today?"

"Thanks to your impeccable notes, I managed. There was something about the Montague girl."

"She's one of our kids, along with the Prewetts."

"I eventually remembered that, but there's something else." He stared at the woman in his arms for a long moment, thinking of the girl with the brown eyes. "She reminds me of you!"

Barbara shrugged. "You've mentioned it."

"Truly. She reminds me of you during school years. I remember you, a little thing with big eyes and pigtails staring at me across the library. It shouldn't be important, but it's a cherished memory for me, now. You _have_ affected me."

It was getting late, and after a few minutes they stood up. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

She walked him back to the door. Severus asked, "What if I would like to try... ?"

She shook her head. "I've had a wonderful year of being a cherished wife. That wasn't fair that I should be so blessed, but I took it and I'm not giving it back. I've loved you or was preparing to love you probably since the first day I saw you, a self-assured fourth year and the smartest kid at school. I can't stop that, now.

"But I won't imprison you to me, especially if you're not sure that you want me. Neither will I tarnish the memory of that perfect year. You refused to start our lives together as some sort of seduction or loss of control. You wanted us to belong truly together, first. Right now, you aren't sure that we do belong truly together. You need time to work through this and I want you to take that time. I won't _try_ to be your wife. I _am_ your wife. For the rest...I will wait until you know you really want to do this."

She sighed. "The kids and I will move to the house in Hogsmeade tomorrow. We have the whole holidays to work on this and all of our lives if it comes to it. I'm yours to command, when Victoria and Nicolas don't need me. "

"Good night, then."

"Good night, Severus." She kissed his cheek and then quickly shut the door. She stood against it, pressing the side of her face into the wood, and wished she could have kept him with herself.

* * *

Snape was at Merrill's door early the next morning.

"Well, this is familiar," she smiled. She held out her hand, blushed when he didn't take it and then clasped both of her hands nervously.

I came to see if now would be a good time to look at some more of your memories? I read all of our letters and some of both notebooks. I want to see what it was all like, now."

"The babies should sleep for a while longer."

She showed him the Valentines dance and their first kisses at the Astronomy Tower, followed by their brief engagement. Barbara was so lost in the memory of it that she didn't realize Severus had broken the connection and walked across the room. He came back.

"Barbara." His voice was low and husky. "I don't remember that night, but I somehow remember the feeling. I'm not sure I can be that man, anymore, but I would very much like—may I—Barbara..." She had realized what he was asking and placed her lips close to his. He decided they were as sweet as he had recalled when viewing her memory.

A moment or two later, they stopped to realize that Nicolas was crying.

"I'd better..."

"Yes."

He listened to the cooing and babbling in the other room while touching his lips as he had after reading her notebook. He stood in the doorway between the rooms, facing a choice. He could return to this world and immerse himself in it, without knowing it for sure. He could make new memories but might never have the old ones back. The prospect was enticing, but it was disloyal to the older memories he still had. How had he resolved that before?

"Would you take Nicolas while I feed Victoria? Then I need to get them ready for the walk to our house."

The decision seemed to be made for him, at least for the moment. He took the baby and sat down uneasily, patting and thumping him until the burp came up. He got the stroller out of a closet and put the baby inside.

"How did I know to do that?"

She shrugged. "You've done it before."

The struggle was on his face. "Severus, tell me about it."

"I don't know this, but I do. Kissing you was the most natural thing in the world, but I don't remember it. Holding you in my arms, caring for these children. I know I was there, but I don't remember the day they were born. How did I start feeling this way? When did Lily leave me?"

"I don't have an answer for any of it. You just sort of adjusted to things being different and you had months to do it in. If you need time to yourself, or if you want to spend time with us, either way, I'll understand."

"And how is it that I can mention Lily to you without your being sad or envious?"

"Lily is part of who you are, Severus. You learned much from each other as children. She was a big part of the role you played during both wars. Everyone owes her a great deal."

Barbara put Victoria in the pram and started to roll it toward the door. Severus held the door open for her and watched her shut and seal it. On the main floor, she turned to him again and spoke quietly. "Severus, I love you. I want you back in my life, in my home, in my bed. I want you to come back without reservations, whether you actually remember or not. If you don't love me, then I'll just be happy to be near you from time to time."

She took his hand, then reached up and kissed his cheek. She turned to go, but he was still holding her hand so she turned back around. He brought her hand to his lips and looked into her face, fighting a sudden urge to kiss the tear he saw on her cheek. "I'll be seeing you soon, Barbara." She took a deep breath and rubbed at her face as she turned to leave.

In the hallway near the front door she met Alice, Howard, and Carissa, plus Anthony, a fifth year whose parents had died in the war and whose aunt and uncle treated him horribly.

"All set? Are your bags packed so that the elves will be able to move them easily?"

Four heads nodded.

"Okay, then, let's go."

"Where's Uncle Severus?"

"He's not quite feeling himself, and we're going to let him stay at the castle where he can be close to the hospital wing." She gripped the handle of the stroller and cleared her throat. "So everyone, off we go. Tell me how your term has been going..."

_A/N: And of course, I'm quoting Yoda (Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back) here: "Do or do not. There is no try." Barbara is possibly being a bit demanding._

_Thank you to the readers, and the reviewers, especially Mark Darcy and excessively perky!_


	22. Odd Behavior

_Disclaimer: I own none of this. JKR's characters and world, except for an OC or two._

Severus woke from his sleep in the middle of the night, a few days later. He saw Barbara, pacing the floor of a bedroom. He had come to recognize the anguish in the face and knew that he was somehow the source of it. He didn't want her to be so tortured over him. She must be upset indeed if she couldn't close her mind to him very well.

Could he reach across the distance? Could he comfort her from here? She had done something like that in an effort to find him at Spinner's End. _My dear, we will find the answer. Please rest. The children need you. _She sat on the bed and picked up what he knew was his own pillow. He imagined himself holding her in his arms as he had done in the dungeon. _Barbara..._ He watched her caress the pillow and finally lie down, curling up with it and going to sleep.

Sleep was now a million miles away from him, however. He put on a cloak and went out to the grounds of the school, nearly tripping over a student's cat as he left his appartment. The chill of the spring night was bracing as he walked through the school gardens. There was something about the flowers, a tantalizing thought, something about the look in Barbara's eye when he teased her about her notebook, and then it was gone.

The old whomping willow tree called to him. If he really thought about it, he could remember making his way through the tunnel and out the passage under the tree and just sitting near it. He replayed the conversation he had seen in Barbara's memory, the soft touch on his arm. The man she had spoken to was tortured by remorse and loss, yet he had not felt any of that since he awoke in the hospital wing. Had his previous memories been colored by the happiness she said they had shared, like the memory of Barbara when they were young? He had written something in his notebook.

_...The dementors could only remind me of how my parents would argue during my childhood. Every other bad memory has been brought to peace, because of my wife..._

"I had wondered who was here." A feminine voice broke into his thoughts. He carefully filed them away, wanting to ponder them later.

"Professor MacDonald. To what do I owe the... pleasure?" He turned and surveyed her with shielded eyes, but did not get up.

"I was enjoying a late night walk and happened to see you sitting here. Are you reliving old memories?"

"Of a sort."

"Why aren't you with the little wife?"

He looked at the witch carefully. He may or may not want to be married right now, but it was something else for an outsider to degrade his wife. "_Professor_ Merrill is at our house in Hogsmeade with our family. I stayed at school to work on a project."

"A project! Is it an interesting one? Care to share?"

"Not particularly."

"How about a drink?"

"I cannot say that I am thirsty."

"Oh, come on."

What was the point of this woman's pursuit? He didn't believe for a minute that she just happened to see him while on a walk by herself. He had seen from her notes and his own that Merrill didn't quite trust Professor MacDonald. Perhaps if he went along for a bit, he might see what this woman was playing at.

Professor MacDonald kept a pristine office without an ounce of warmth to it. He pretended to relax in the chair she indicated to him, but as uncomfortable as it was, he was in no danger of losing his concentration.

"Ah... I knew I had a bottle of Ogden's here somewhere. She poured him two fingers and handed it to him. "Drink up."

Roses and lavender... the scent on the other pillow in his bed, on the chair in his office, and, he somehow knew, the smell of Professor Merrill's hair. He hadn't smelled the love potion in a long time that he could recall, but this could only be amortentia. He felt a moment of fury followed by a gloomy calm. He wasn't with his wife and perhaps it was natural for this witch to think he was available for romance. He pretended to drink and used a silent charm to make his glass gradually empty. She was going on and on about house rivalries.

"...So, after thinking about it, I guess Minerva is right and I should bury the hatchet. I'm going to forgive you all, Sev."

"Only one person ever drew breath who could ever call me that, and she's in the Godric's Hollow grave yard, now."

"Not even your wife?"

"She says my name full out, tenderly, as if the word means something to her. Sometimes she blushes when she says it. It's a declaration of love every time my name crosses her lips." He couldn't remember thinking about it, but it was true. When Barbara spoke his name, it did things to him.

Their glasses were empty. She would make her move, soon. Mary stood and moved sinuously over to his seat. She placed her hands on the armrests of the chair and leaned her face into his. "So what do you say? How about a little fun?"

He put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her away in time to prevent her lips from touching his.

"Come on, Sev. A little kiss never hurt anyone."

"Actually it would. I don't remember perfectly, but I think my wife's lips are the only ones that have ever touched mine and I'd prefer not to soil them now."

"But--"

"Are you disappointed in your amortentia? I believe it has been brewed to perfection. Your mistake was in using something that would not fail to remind me of my Barbara. I can not drink it in your presence."

He went back to his own office, sealing the door carefully, and poured an unadulterated drink from his own bottle. As he had often done of late, he sat in the chair he knew was hers and smelled the roses and lavender without worry of taint. As he allowed his thoughts to drift to her, he realized she was awake as well, sitting in a rocking chair and feeding Nicolas.

She was alert to him: _What is it?_

He replayed his experience with the Transfiguration professor in his mind and allowed her to see it. He saw her concern, and anger. MacDonald had certainly not endeared herself to Merrill with this bit of work.

_Barbara..._

_Yes?_

He showed her his thoughts near the willow tree. _I don't think I'm the man I was the day of the battle. Those memories seem to be colored by experiences I don't remember_.

_Of course you're a different man now and you have made a lot of peace with your past. But you're thinking too much and it's far too late at night. What will come to you will come. You should get some rest. Sleep well, Severus. _His name was beautiful even when she thought it, he decided as he sought his pillow.

Back in Hogsmeade, Barbara hugged her son close and smiled._ He called me "my Barbara."_

* * *

Severus woke the next morning to full sunlight, cradling a pillow in his arms. It smelled of her and he had somehow grabbed it in his sleep. Cursing his arms for doing what his mind was not yet ready to accept, he arose and prepared for the day.

As he opened his door, he was surprised to see his wife standing there. "I thought we could have a little time to ourselves," she said. "What do you say?"

Severus looked into her mind and immediately recoiled. _Where are you? _He saw Barbara in the same nursery as before._ Is everything ok? _He had his answer. _Never mind, I'll tell you later._

This time he allowed his fury to simmer. His eyes took on a dangerous look. "Actually, Professor" he said, "I was on my way to visit Minerva. Why don't you join me?"

"Well, maybe I should..."

"No, let's go." He clamped a hand on her arm and led her to the Headmistress' office.

"Severus! Barbara! What is going on?" Minerva was going over paperwork.

"I would like to understand why Professor MacDonald is impersonating my wife."

"Of all the--" that lady said.

"Severus, if this isn't Barbara, then can you tell me where she really is?"

"I believe if you checked, you would find her at home, breastfeeding our daughter." Severus was calmly brushing some lint from his robe.

"Well!" said the faux Barbara. "There's no reason to be vulgar!"

"The real Barbara wouldn't find it vulgar." Minerva responded. "It would seem that your connections are at least as strong as ever, Severus. That should tell you something." She received a glower in response.

Minerva decided to make use of her time by looking at the woman in her office for several minutes.

Severus pondered his own reflections, his eyes hollow tunnels that allowed no glimpse into his mind or heart.

The Polyjuice wore off and Mary MacDonald reappeared.

"Why, Mary? Why?" Minerva wanted to know as much as Severus did.

Mary burst into tears. "You know how hard it's been since the war. I lost the love of my life right at the end and I'm so lonely. And with Barbara gone, I thought Severus might be lonely, too..."

Minerva sighed. "We'll leave it at that, but you should know better than to try something like that with Severus, Mary. It was very foolish. It was also against the school's code of conduct. I'm going to have to put you on probation." She turned to the other professor. "Severus, are you satisfied?"

"It will do...for now."

"I suggest that you go home for the rest of the holidays. Relax. Play with the kids." She looked meaningfully at him. "I expect you will be a different wizard when classes begin again."

"I will follow your recommendations, Headmistress. I make no promises." Snape swept from the room.

"How could he possibly know I wasn't her?" asked MacDonald.

Minerva laughed grimly. "Mary you've been here for almost the entire school year. Haven't you noticed that there are moments when those two practically inhabit the same mind?"

* * *

Severus had no idea what he had in Hogsmeade but decided not to bother to pack anyway. If he needed something, he could send Nod back for it. He set off with just his notebook and his wand and found the family home exactly as she described it, with the lady of the house in the garden, pruning and weeding.

"I see that I married money," he said.

"Don't get too used to it," she smiled. "Most of it is for the children. So to what do we owe the honor?"

"Can we talk?"

She led him to a bench in the garden and he explained about the polyjuice. "I could tell almost immediately," he said, "but I'm a bit worried. I don't think she's really attracted to me or that she's that lonely. She definitely wants to stir up mischief between us."

"She said something when we told her we knew about the fireworks on our anniversary. Something like she was trying to take advantage of the argument we had the week before... I wonder who the love of her life was. She used to hang around with Peter Pettigrew a lot in the library. They studied together..."

"Wormtail?"

"Rosmerta said something about seeing them together a couple of years ago. I wonder..."

"I don't. I want to learn everything about you. Since I'm here, would you like to do some brewing, too?"

"Are you going to offer to show me some special potions, too? Should I fear for my virtue?"

He laughed for the first time since waking up in the hospital ward. The tensions of the last several hours rolled off his robes. "Whatever it takes," he said in a tone of voice that was almost flirtatious. "Why don't you tell me about the fireworks."

_A/N: thank you, readers and reviewers!_


	23. No Place like Home

_Disclaimer: JKR invented this world and the people who inhabit it. I came to visit with my OC friends._

Severus found that he enjoyed the benefits of being a family man. The teenagers were well behaved and actually fun to be around. The babies were already a source of joy for him. He spent an afternoon and evening helping with the twins and playing chess with the teens.

After the kids went to their bedrooms to study or sleep, the two professors spent a couple of hours in the garden, sitting in Adirondack chairs by a fire, sipping elf-made wine. It was a good opportunity to enjoy the quiet that is not found in a house full of children, and also to talk over the memories that Severus did not have.

"So until you got the job at Hogwarts you called me Professor Snape the whole time?"

"Saying your name just seemed so intimate."

"Even after the things you wrote about me in your notebook concerning our research?"

She blushed. "_Especially_ then."

He looked at her reflectively. "After I re-read my notebook, I remembered that one argument we had by letter. I was in the Great Hall for every Owl Post so that I could answer your letter as soon as it came. I was pretty frustrated over your persistence, but I had to admire the way you hung in there against my strongest persuasions of intimidation and sarcasm, and of course, the way you were right. That time."

Barbara snorted and choked on the wine she was swallowing. He got up and thumped her on the back. "I'm fine, thank you," she said, too quickly. He stifled the urge to kiss her head along the hairline and quickly sat back down in his chair. He didn't think he would be able to stop with the one kiss and, based upon his reading, she might not stop him. He couldn't follow that line of thought.

The moment passed, and he asked her about the decision to bring the students into their home. Something about the way her face looked in the firelight made him want to keep the conversation going all night. The play of emotions on her face as she spoke or listened to him mixed with the flickering light in a way that was mesmerizing.

He knew an awkward moment at bedtime that night, but Barbara smoothed it over. "I know your presence here doesn't indicate a final decision. I'll stay with the twins in the nursery," she said. "There's the day bed, after all." She reached up and kissed his cheek and then shut the door.

In some ways it was just like their bedroom in the school and in others it was different. It was obviously more spacious than the other room, and the pictures were different. He picked up her pillow. The roses and lavender were fresher. It would be a wonderful, tortured night next to that pillow. His eyes were drawn to his own pillow, remembering how she held it the other night. He went directly to the dresser drawer where he knew there would be a nightshirt and prepared for bed.

* * *

The next morning found Severus Snape in his office. He tried to ignore the photographs on the wall, but there was one photograph he would very much like to find. He looked at his desk. An hour later, Howard stopped by and saw that Uncle Severus was systematically looking through every drawer in the desk and the secret compartments he could find.

"Are you looking for something?"

"I had a picture... half of a picture actually. It got torn during the war..."

"Was it Aunt Barbara?" Howard asked eagerly.

"No. No, it wasn't." Severus answered.

Howard thought a moment. "Was it the other lady, Harry Potter's mum?"

Severus looked up and pointed his wand at the door, which closed. An agitated look crossed his face. "How would you know about that?"

"You told me about her," answered the boy. "Don't you remember in detention last fall? You told me that you loved her but could never tell her. You said Aunt Barbara said something when you couldn't and that made her better than the other lady."

Severus looked thoughtfully at the boy for several minutes and then understood the whole conversation. "Oh, yes. That sounds like something I would say. True enough. Thank you, Howard."

Howard left the office. Snape cleared up his desk, and wondered.

* * *

That evening, the chairs were closer together and they rehashed the day the mark on his arm was removed. "I'm just feeling my way through this," he said. "I have all of the information in front of me, but my feelings aren't following the evidence. You can't know how disoriented I am."

"Yes, I do. You are used to following things to their logical conclusion, and here you are in the middle of something where you can see all the logic. Except that your heart has to catch up to it."

"I've been all these different men," Severus mused. "And then there were the men I wished I could be, if only... The youth who struggled against every single thing in his life, the young man who would have loved Lily Evans with his whole heart, the remorseful young man who caused the death of his one love and spent the rest of his life repaying that debt, the servant of darkness, the spy for Dumbledore, what now?"

"You can be whomever you please, now," said Barbara. "I will love you."

Suddenly her assurance was aggravating. "What if I choose to view this marriage of ours as a dalliance and go back to a life of remembering Lily and watching over her son?"

"Then I will live a life of remembering you and watching over your son and daughter. And I will have the better of it."

"How so?"

"Your children don't look like James Potter." She saw the shock in his face and slapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh, Severus, that was wrong, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it..." She got up and ran into the house.

* * *

Had Barbara the courage to look, later, she would have noticed that the man she loved was still sitting out by the dying fire, finishing off the bottle of wine, until very late. When he finally came into the house, he tried the door to the nursery and was surprised to realize it opened easily to his touch. The room was dark and the only noises were of slumber.

Severus entered the room and looked into the cribs. The faces he saw were copies of his own, but far more beautiful. Obviously Barbara's memories were true, and they had came together on at least one night of passion. Somehow through the mystery of womanhood she had given him these children, who looked like no man but himself.

A soft sigh drew him to the daybed and he looked down upon the mother of his children. Not strictly beautiful, but certainly lovely. Her long braid trailed off the bed and toward the floor. He knelt beside her and undid her hair, combing his fingers through it. When it was all undone, he fanned it out on her pillow and laid his face upon it. The smell of her hair enveloped him. It matched amortentia perfectly, torturing him. He should leave, but suddenly she reached her hand up and stroked his cheek.

She murmured in her sleep. "Oh, Severus, I miss you so much..."

Severus had to get away. He stood, letting her hand drop gently back to the pillow. As he backed out of the room, he heard her sigh and roll back over. One of the babies cooed while sleeping. It was all his for the taking, if he wanted it. He shut the door.

He opened a bedroom window and cast his patronus onto the lawn below. It took a couple of tries. The patronus was not what he expected, but then the thought that produced it was different, too. He sat in a chair and spent the rest of the night mourning not just a slain friend, but the loss of her very memory.

* * *

The man who came to the table the following morning looked as though he had spent a sleepless night with a bottle of wine. He was late and the kids had eaten early and left in order to escape a day full of chores while Barbara had tended to the twins. Barbara was therefore the only one at the table and looked up at him guiltily.

"Severus, again, I'm so sorry..."

He held up his hand and brushed her off, then took a long pull at his coffee. "You spoke the truth. You shouldn't have to apologize for that."

"Still, it was cruel. Unnecessarily so." She buttered some toast, put a generous amount of jam on it, and placed it in front of him.

"It was a worthy shot, Madam. Perhaps I should look at the beauty of what is around me instead of the glamor of what never was going to happen. If I indulge my guilty wish to devote my life to Lily Potter, I shall rob my children of a father, just as Lily's son was robbed of his parents. Have I ever properly thanked you, Madam, for producing them?"

Barbara smiled. "They're my children too, you contributed, you know, and it has been my pleasure. Eat."

He took a bite. "I've been looking at this all wrong. Lily could never really be part of my life, so perhaps it would be just as well..."

Barbara's smile froze and she looked like she'd been slapped. "'Just as well?'" she said quietly. She stood and glared at him, suddenly white and shaking with rage. "'_Just as well_?' I'm not some sort of consolation prize, Sir. You _loved_ me. You treated me like I was the only woman in the world. You-- You--" She stopped and recomposed her face and voice. "Please enjoy your breakfast. You don't look very well, and I don't want you to get sick." She left the kitchen and a minute later he heard her office door slam.

He got up and followed her, and knocked on the door. "Barbara."

"Do you have to torture me like this?"

"Barbara, open the door."

"It's not locked, you can come in."

"Barbara, that really wasn't what I meant."

"Wasn't it?"

He went in and found her standing near the windows, her arms clenched around her middle as if she would explode otherwise. He obeyed the instinct that told him to pull her into his arms and cradle her head against his chest. It was like hugging a rock at first but he persisted. Little by little she relaxed, to the point where she put her arms around him and clung to him. After several moments he felt her take a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

In his own memory, Severus Snape could find no time when a woman's body had ever been pressed so closely to his own and he found the experience quite intriguing and unfortunately, under the circumstances, stimulating. He released her a little and chastely kissed the top of her head. She sighed again and stepped away, turning back to the window.

"Thank you, Severus. I guess I've been getting somewhat distressed lately and needed you to, well, I appreciate the comfort."

He finally trusted himself to say something. "I'm sorry. You're right. You're a brilliant witch, lovely to look at, a good mother, and generally a treasure for the right man. I don't know why you have chosen to spend it all on me, but I will always be grateful."

"Um, I should attend to the twins, but then maybe we should look at our research?" He nodded his head and she ran up the stairs to the nursery.

He looked around the room and found her everywhere. As at the school, the walls were covered with pictures of himself, the babies, and the older kids. Her desk greatly resembled the one at the school, as well, covered with back issues of _Potions Monthly_ and _Journal of the Potions Society_, which were mixed with catalogs for knitting supplies and baby equipment.

He sat down and looked out the window, shaking his head. He had come home to try to know her better, but it seemed that the bickering had only increased over the last day. Everything he said seemed to hurt her. He would have to try not to argue with her any more. He couldn't stand to see the look that came into her eyes when they quarreled, and it was hurting him, too.

* * *

That night, they carried the wine out to the garden and Barbara moved her chair a little farther away from Severus'. They started the fire. The two sat and sipped for a long while. Severus finally drained his glass and stood, walking over to the other chair and kneeling next to it.

"Barbara."

"Yes?" She was staring into her wine glass.

"You've told me and shown me everything you can about the first year we worked together. You inadvertently showed me our wedding and our wonderful wedding night. I still don't know how I got around Lily, but you perhaps didn't know all of that. Thank you, Barbara."

"You're welcome"

"Barbara. Look at me."

She timidly raised her eyes.

"Barbara, you haven't shown me anything of our marriage, how we were together."

She blushed and looked down again. "It's all mixed up with— I didn't think you would want to see so much..." She stopped and thought for a moment. "It's wrong of me. I have it all, I should share." She looked up. "Whatever you wish to see."

His heart turned over at the look in her eyes. She would do anything he asked, but clearly certain memories shouldn't be forced out of her like this. They should be cherished between the two of them. He summoned his chair and set it near hers, sitting again.

"I'm pushing you too hard. Perhaps you can answer a question I have, instead. I went to Minerva's office right after I left the infirmary and she showed me some memories she had, and then the portraits started talking. Have we been intimate in the classrooms?"

She blushed and put her hands over her face. "The portraits! We never considered the portraits! Of course they've been talking, they have the loosest lips at Hogwarts. What must Minerva think?"

"That's a yes?"

She looked up at him in embarrassment. "We were just going to use your desk in the Defense classroom, just the one time. That was it." His look was sardonic and interested at the same time. "Then we were in the dungeon one night and it just happened. We laughed and decided it was only fair."

He saw himself, sitting next to her on the desk in the dungeon and straightening her robe for her. Could that really have been _him_, trying not to giggle, like... like a blasted Marauder on a prank? "Perfectly reasonable. But Barbara, those two classrooms don't have portraits." He was looking intently at her.

She looked at him and took a gulp of her wine. "We were checking the halls one night right after curfew started and we were sure the students were all back in their houses. We ended up on the fifth floor, and we started kissing in one classroom, then things just got out of hand and we didn't want to take the time to get back to our room." Another long sip of the wine. She said the next bit quietly into her glass. "After that, well, there was a completeness issue..."

He heard it anyway. "Ah, so the Ravenclaw need to finish the job took over?"

"Along with the Slytherin pleasure of figuring out how to manage some rooms. I have..._had..._ a very inventive husband." She looked up at him, smiling tentatively. He laughed and saw that she was now ready to share some of the memories. Taking her hand, he gently looked into her eyes and looked at what she showed him.

"I suspect Dumbledore was right that his old classroom will never be the same. He didn't seem to mind in the least, by the way." He kissed the hand he was holding. "Thank you, Barbara."

_A/N: Thanks again, readers and reviewers!_


	24. A Quarrel and a Decision

_Disclaimer: JKR's world and people. Just a few OCs are mine._

The next day, the foursome who called themselves the "Snape kids" were sitting around the kitchen table having a study session. For the most part, they were trying to help Anthony, who had OWLs when the holiday was over, but everyone was studying a little something of his or her own as well. Aunt Barbara and Uncle Severus were in the basement dungeon, working on their research. The conversation downstairs got louder and louder until the kids could hear it clearly.

"I cannot believe that anyone would want to take that path," Uncle Severus was saying.

Aunt Barbara responded, "That's the way _you_ wanted to go."

"I cannot believe it."

"It's in your notes, right there in your own hand!"

"I like the other way better."

The kids heard Aunt Barbara coming up the stairs and tried to look busy. "I can't believe this! I spent an entire week arguing _against_ the side you're making me argue _for_ today. This is so unbelievable and unfair!" The kids heard her hand on the doorknob.

"Barbara. Come.down.those.stairs.this.minute." Every student at Hogwarts had heard that tone of voice and every student obeyed it instantly. Aunt Barbara had never been Uncle Severus' student, but they heard her go down the stairs. The kids tiptoed over to the door and listened.

Uncle Severus' voice was much quieter. "Barbara, we can do this any way you like. Just don't yell at me like that. I can't take it."

Aunt Barbara was quieter, too. "I'm sorry, Severus. None of this is your fault. I shouldn't be so upset over something that can't be helped. I'm not being fair to you."

"Of course you should be upset. It affects you, too. Aren't we supposed to face these things together?"

"Oh, Severus..."

"I'm sorry I don't know how to be the man to whom you were married. I'll learn."

"Oh, no. I don't want you to be anyone but the man you are now. We need to move forward from this moment."

"Barbara..."

Soft sounds were heard then and the kids heaved a collective sigh of relief and went back to their schoolwork.

"It's OK, then," said Howard. To reassure Carissa and Anthony, he said, "You should have seen one night last summer. She had him in a full body-bind." Alice was nodding wide-eyed.

Down stairs, Barbara was tightly clasped within her husband's arms, listening to his heart beat through his dungeon robe and trying to be grateful for that one fact. Severus had his lips in her hair and was murmuring endearments. He didn't know what was coming out of his mouth or how he knew that his hand fit around her head just this way. He didn't know how he had come to be holding a lovely woman in his arms in this way, but it was time to stop fighting against it. He only knew that he wanted to hold this woman forever. He was incapable of knowing happiness if he was at odds with her.

"I hear there's a jazz combo playing at the Hog's Head this weekend. It seems the sort of thing we would enjoy." She nodded. "Shall we go tonight, then?"

She smiled and looked up into his eyes. "I would like that."

* * *

They were a bit absent minded at dinner that evening. The discussed questions the kids had about school work and cared for the babies as usual, but they kept smiling secretly at each other, too. The kids were almost relieved when Severus and Barbara left.

As they took the short walk to town, Severus reached for her hand and pulled it within his arm. Barbara's hand settled there as if it belonged that way. Another thing he knew but didn't remember.

He tried to tell her what he was thinking. "I have this overwhelming need to protect you and take care of you. The other night I wanted to comfort you, and I find that I live for your smiles. Yesterday I said you were a treasure for any man, but you are not for any man. You are _my_ treasure, Barbara, belonging to no one else but me.

"And Barbara, your love for me is written all over you. You've been so patient with me and so unrelenting, these past two weeks. I love you. It's time for me to be your husband again. Tell me we can do this."

She had stopped walking and simply stood there, clutching his arm. He wasn't sure if she was breathing. He tipped her chin with his free hand, his heart in his eyes. "Barbara?"

She smiled up into his face, her eyes melting into his. "Welcome home, Severus."

They enjoyed their evening at the Hog's Head, listening to the music and sipping wine. At one point, Severus stood and gently stood Barbara up, too. She let him lead her into a dance with him. As always happened when dancing with her husband, Barbara lost track of everything except his arms and eyes. He could remember dancing in the past, but never with a woman whose adoration shone so brightly in her eyes and who trusted him so much to lead her. As the song ended, Severus Snape leaned down and kissed his wife although they were in public. As he lifted his head, their eyes met and both knew that it was time to leave the inn.

He brought her back to their table, where he picked up their cloaks and settled the bill. Just outside the door, he drew her cloak around her shoulders and fastened it, taking advantage of the chance to kiss her again. He put his own cloak on and then offered her his arm and they were on the way home.

They walked home silently, enjoying the star-lit night and the nearness of each other. Barbara delighted in every second of the evening. _If he turns his back on me at the door and I never see him again, I will at least have had this. _When they reached their front porch, Severus turned her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"You have been so quiet, tonight. I didn't really ask... If you're not ready, we don't have to do anything right away. We can take it slow."

She put a finger on his lips and looked right into his eyes. "Do you know how I adore you? There was nothing to say, and I didn't want to ruin it. I am yours completely, and I simply wanted to enjoy being with you. Come to bed."

She took him by the hand and led him to their room. They took off their cloaks and she drew him with her onto the bed. The scent of her hair surrounded him and her kisses became more passionate. He found that he was kissing her in return and that his hands were doing things almost of their own accord. He whispered, "This I know. I don't remember it, but I know it."

* * *

Severus awoke a few hours later and found himself alone in an empty bed. A dim light and soft sounds were coming from the next room so he found a bath robe and went to the doorway. Barbara was sitting on the daybed in the nursery, feeding Victoria and talking to Nicolas, whom she had propped up with pillows. She saw her husband leaning against the door jamb and motioned for him to come.

"Nicolas needs to be burped and then he should go back to sleep. Once they go down, they'll stay down for the rest of the night, now."

He sat next to her with his head on her shoulder, watching Victoria nurse as he patted Nicolas' back. Barbara held her daughter's fist in her hand and looked down into the child's eyes. The child divided her attention between her two parents, and occasionally Barbara turned her head to look into the eyes of her husband, her eyes taking on a glow as she realized he was truly here beside her again.

"I didn't think to ask. What about more children?"

She smiled and sighed at the same time.

"Are you...now?" He slid his hand around her waist and rested it at her middle.

"Oh! no. Poppy said we should wait until at least Christmas. She seemed to think the twins had taken a lot out of me. I've been keeping a chart and so far there have been no signs that I could get pregnant. Poppy said it was pretty unlikely for the first six months, anyway."

"How did we decide to have the twins?"

"We knew we wanted to have children whenever they came. Given our ages, we didn't really expect that we would strike it so very rich on our honeymoon. We barely found out before they were born that there were two of them."

He kissed her neck. "You haven't shown me very many memories of our marriage, other than the one you allowed me to see of our wedding day, and night, and those memories at the school. What was it like?"

"Very much like just a few hours ago." She blushed and looked at the baby.

"Show me... please? How about the day we learned you were pregnant?"

She smiled and he saw her waking in his arms as he carried her to the infirmary, and what happened next. As he had thought, it was better that their memories be cherished together. "So we celebrated quite a bit?"

"We were just so delighted by the whole thing. Everything good seemed to be happening, finally."

"Do you want more?"

"Very much." She looked at him uncertainly. "Does that suit you?"

"I don't recall having ever thought of it, but yes. Next time let's try to get your eyes and dimples."

Victoria finished and her mother patted her back until she burped while Severus put Nicolas in his bed. He came and took Victoria, too, and then stood in front of Barbara, who hadn't bothered to refasten her dressing gown, yet.

"Barbara...I hope I'm not being burdensome, but as far as I can remember, this is our honeymoon..."

"I don't think we had considered that our honeymoon was over, Severus." She smiled up at him mischievously while she opened the tie of his robe. Grabbing his collar with both sides, she pulled him down onto the daybed with her.

* * *

Several days later, the Snape family played host to the Minister of Magic and his latest lady friend.

"This one is a keeper, Kingsley." Barbara was watching Monica chat with Alice and Carissa. She seemed genuinely interested in the kids and their stories. She kept coming back to play with the babies, and Anthony and Howard were trying to outdo each other in gallantries. "Monica is perfectly natural in an ordinary family setting. And she's drop dead gorgeous."

"There is that," said Kingsley. "She handles the public well, too."

"So have you asked her to marry you?"

"I hope to ask her tonight. I just wanted her to meet you, first."

"How sweet for me and horrifying for her," Barbara laughed.

"She's more than equal to it, as you can see, which is part of why she's the one. So what are you saying about Mary MacDonald?"

"I'm just getting the weirdest vibe from her. What she tried to do to Severus was just... it actually worked out well, but still, a lady just doesn't... Anyhow, I don't think she's entirely what she claims to be. The war did some things to her, I think, and she seems like she's about to go bonkers."

"She did get through it in a pretty odd manner, as I recall, but I don't remember exactly what that was. There was a hearing on it, so many hearings in those days... Let me check into it and get back to you." Kingsley looked at his friend closely. "How are things going here at your home, with Severus?"

"Just fine," Barbara answered. "He may never get his memories back, except for a few here and there, but we don't need them, it turns out. Have you found out anything about those dementors?"

"Well, we're pretty sure it wasn't Dolores, at least. She keeps looking like she wishes it were her, but the aurors have carefully questioned her and checked her out. It couldn't be her. We're still looking into it."

"Thank you, Kingsley."

After their guests left, Severus sat in a chair and pulled his wife into his lap. He put his arms around Barbara and kissed her while his fingers explored the dress she was wearing. "Please tell me that I never got used to this," he said as he kissed her neck.

Barbara smiled. "Not as far as I could tell."

"What memories are you going to show me, tonight?"

"What would you like to see?"

"Perhaps we could pick up after your birthday, since you showed that to me last night?"

"That would be the first week of the school year, then."

They shared memories together until their feelings overtook them, at which point new memories were made.

_A/N: Thank you, reviewers!_


	25. An Eventful Morning

_Disclaimer: JKR's world. I just added a few OCs._

The next morning, Severus woke to the sound of his wife in the nursery. He dressed and poked his head in the other room, seeing that Barbara had everything under control. He had time to work in his office.

As he went through the sitting room, he stopped by the fireplace and looked at the framed document over the mantelpiece. It was covered in gilt and written in Latin. He mentally translated it and looked at the signatures at the bottom, finally realizing it was their marriage license. The official proof of his life over the last year was right here.

He looked at his own signature. He couldn't remember signing that parchment, but from seeing his own signature on hundreds of documents he could guess the pride of that moment, along with perhaps a little impatience that this small task was keeping him from being alone with his wife. He looked as well at Barbara's signature. It was a bit uneven, as if she had looked up while signing, perhaps to look into his eyes or smile at something he had whispered into her ear.

Shaking his head, he moved into his office and sat at his desk. He had caught up, finally, to the research they were doing that week, but could not account for a blank section he had left in the middle of one page that corresponded to several days before he lost his memory. He took his quill and tried to mark that space out, but the ink dribbled across the page and onto his desk. He absentmindedly cleared the mess.

There was a charm he used as a student, when he wrote little messages to himself, or notes to Lily that he knew he would never show her. He tapped the block of parchment with his wand and was not entirely surprised to see his own writing appear. He was surprised by what the writing told him.

* * *

After finishing with the babies, Barbara marshaled the teens into working on the garden, leaving the twins in the nursery with Itsy. Severus was working in his office and she decided not to bother him. Within an hour, they were all over the yard and she was by herself in the back. When a tall shadow appeared over her, she smiled and looked up only to realize that she was looking at Lucius Malfoy.

"Ah, Professor Merrill, what a charming smile!. We meet again."

Barbara's forehead puckered. "I didn't think it would be you. Did my husband invite you? I believe he's in his office..."

"How unfortunate that the warm welcome was not for me. I am, after all, here to see you."

"I cannot imagine why."

"No? I've heard the most delicious rumor, Barbara—I trust I may call you Barbara—that Professor Snape and Professor Merrill no longer share quarters."

"It is most definitely not accurate, _Mr. Malfoy_, and I cannot see how that is of any interest to you." His wand was lazily twirling in his hands, but Barbara's was in her pocket. If she reached for it, he could hex her long before she could pull it out. Barbara backed her way toward the house. Malfoy matched her step for step, staying entirely too close.

"Ah, well, I'm here to offer my services as a protector of sorts."

"I don't think I need that sort of protection."

"Oh, but you do. However, if you don't want it, well, then, perhaps we can just share a moment or two, if you know what I mean?"

"I don't share things like that." If she could just get to the French doors of Severus' office, she would be safe. Severus would make him go away.

"She plays hard to get. Don't worry, my dear, I will catch you and then we will enjoy ourselves."

"I really am not interested, Mr. Malfoy."

"I will have to provide enough interest for us both, then."

She reached the doors and they opened for her. She stepped into the room, Malfoy still crowding her until she backed right into the arms of her husband.

* * *

Severus sat in a chair in the corner of the room, astounded by the thoughts and emotions running through his head and heart. His wife was a treasure beyond price; he was sure of that. He was proud of himself for recognizing it. Twice. He hadn't trusted her ability to handle her fears about him in the past. He would have to work on that.

His eyes had been looking out the window without really focusing, but now he saw Barbara backing toward this very room, pursued by his former friend. Barbara didn't seem quite right, and the look in Lucius' eyes was certainly disturbing. With a burst of curses he realized that he had planned to strengthen the protections against Malfoy around the house during this vacation. He reached for his wand.

As he watched, she worked her way up the yard, across the patio and right into his office. He stepped forward and caught her. She was trembling but relaxed somewhat as soon as she felt his touch.

"What have we here, Barbara?" There was just a hint of sarcasm in his voice. It braced her up.

"We have a guest, Severus," Barbara responded, as if Malfoy had dropped in for tea. She slid her hand into her pocket, and slid her wand out, holding it behind her.

"Do you have business here, Lucius?"

Malfoy had hoped to avoid Snape on this particular visit, but it wasn't to be avoided at this point, so he said, languidly, "I had heard that you were ready to set the woman aside, Severus, and simply stopped by to make an offer for her."

"You heard wrong, Lucius. I had an injury of sorts that required that we be away from each other for a few days, but I can assure you that my wife is not available."

There was a tone in his voice that made Barbara turn to look into her husband's eyes. There was love and... recognition...

"There is also the matter of the way our former colleagues have been sent to Azkaban. It seems they've been meeting an old friend, someone they had hoped would lead them, only to find themselves arrested."

"That is quite fascinating, Lucius. Would you like to have a cup of tea while we discuss it? Barbara, why don't you run along and get some tea..."

Barbara saw the look in Malfoy's eye and decided not to move.

"I'm also here to settle another score, that of my son's seduction away from the dark arts. It's wrong, Severus, wrong for you to treat our friends that way and wrong for you to meddle in my family in this way. _Stupify_!" Severus was caught off guard and thrown to the wall behind him. Barbara lifted her wand, putting herself between Malfoy and her husband.

"Is that what you did the other day? _Stupify_ and then left him to die? I thought he was your friend," said Barbara.

"Not when he's worked to destroy so many things I was working for. He's in the way, now. I will destroy him and then we can have that interlude we were discussing, and then I'll decide what to do with you, and your mostly pureblood children." A chill ran through Barbara's body at the way he said it.

"Are you shivering with anticipation, my dear? That's more the welcome I was hoping for." He sent a hex toward Severus and she rebounded it.

"You will not harm my husband," she said. She tried a jinx and he sidestepped it.

"I would hate to harm you, while there's so much between us, but the traitor has to die. If you die, too, it will be an unfortunate necessity."

She couldn't move without exposing her husband to danger and Malfoy knew it. He sent hex after hex at her, which she rebounded over and over until one of the rebounded hexes finally hit him. She took advantage of the chance to cast _Rennervate_ toward her husband.

Malfoy saw Severus stand back up and sent a blasting curse directly at him. Barbara's wand hand intercepted the curse and rebounded it, but not before feeling the hit of it.

Severus was sparring with Malfoy, now. He could tell that Barbara was hit and was trying to shield her while fighting with his old friend. She knew she was getting in the way. Out the window, Barbara saw the kids heading toward the house. The babies would need her soon. She sent a stinging jinx to Malfoy's wand hand. Her hand hurt so badly that it was as hard as when she was a third year student just learning the spell.

The jinx stopped Malfoy long enough for Severus to use a body bind, followed by a spell that bound him up in ropes.

The teens came into the house. "Can we help? What happened?"

"Anthony, Howard, I need you to run into town and ask Auror Mitchell if some of his people can come. Tell them that Mr. Malfoy is here and needs to be taken to the Ministry for questioning."

As they waited, Snape glanced at his wife. She sat down in the couch by the French doors and held her wand hand in her lap. She was trying to open and close it, wincing the whole time.

The aurors came in and asked what had happened. Severus explained and Malfoy was taken away. Severus was then able to concentrate on his wife. He sat next to her, picked up her hand, and looked into her eyes.

"Barbara, did it just hit your wand hand?"

She nodded. "It was going to hit you..."

"Yes, I know. You did just right. Girls, there's a potion I would like you to get from the dungeon."

While they were gone, Severus rolled Barbara's sleeve up and checked for broken bones and other damage.

"Some of the bones in your hand are broken. There's enough damage that should have Poppy re-set them. Are you up to the walk?"

The girls brought the potion and Severus rubbed it into Barbara's hand and wrist. The pain eased. He then wrapped it to hold it steady.

"Severus?"

"Yes?"

"How is it that you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"Pretty much everything, I think."

"How did you realize?"

"Your voice is different, and the look in your eyes. More confident, maybe?"

He thought for a moment. "I suppose that's true. The answer is, or was, in that row of vials on my desk." Her attention was drawn to several empty vials with labels that appeared to have dates on them. "I will tell you all about it on our walk to the hospital wing."

He left her in the office for a moment while he went to speak with the elves and the kids about their trip to the school. Then he came back and lifted his wife from her seat on the sofa. Putting his arm around her waist, he walked her out of the house and into the lane. After speaking to some aurors who were around the house, they were on their way.

Barbara thought that level of coddling to be excessive. "I _can_ walk, you know. I wasn't planning to do so on my hands."

"Do you mind if I take care of my wife as I see fit?"

Barbara smiled. "The secret of your overweening kindness is safe with me. For the record, darling, I just want you to know that I know you are not just a sarcastic, angry bear all of the time."

"Speaking of bears..." Severus cast his patronus and sent it toward the school. "We might as well tell Poppy to expect us."

He started walking again. "We were going to discuss how it is that I remember. It turns out that I left directions. I discovered this when you were in the garden." He showed her his notebook and opened it to the blank page, which he tapped with his wand.

_I have come to the conclusion that someone has been pursuing me with dementors for a while, now. I hate to suspect a long-time friend, but the only person who has ever had Ministry connections strong enough to accomplish this is Lucius. _

_I have apparently come to peace with most of my worst experiences, so instead of reminding me of my worst moments, there is a real danger of losing something, instead, if they feast upon my happy thoughts and memories. _

_In order to preserve the life I've come to love, I have duplicated my best memories, all of the time since I have known Barbara, into vials and closing them in such a way that only her wand or mine may open them. _

_The vials have been placed in a compartment in my desk in Hogsmeade that is found by opening the middle drawer all the way and pulling on the ink bottle wedged into the back._

"Is that what you were doing the week we had that beastly argument? I saw you, writing and writing."

"That, and preparing to protect our home. I had planned to perform the spells when we were all here this holiday, but of course I had forgotten all about it. My plans for that were all in the desk drawer."

"However did you duplicate your memories?"

"I put them in a pensieve, a few at a time and then looked at them from there. Then I took the ones from the pensieve and put them in the vials. I found a similar vial in my private potions cabinet at the school. I hope it includes our anniversary."

"It was pretty spectacular. Fireworks everywhere. If you don't find it, we'll go over it tonight."

He looked down at her and then at the gates they were approaching. "The one afternoon is probably gone forever. From what I piece together, I received a note that I thought was from Narcissa, asking me to meet her at my home at Spinner's End. I have told you that she once requested that I protect Draco." Barbara nodded.

"I probably thought I could go and be back before dinner, but of course, the person who really met me had other plans. Lucius, apparently. He as good as admitted it to you. I wonder if he realized that _stupify_ actually protected me in some ways... by leaving me unconscious, he ensured that the dementors would not get overly excited by any emotions and would keep their distance. They just siphoned off the happy thoughts and didn't choose to kiss me. Your patronus made them back off, too."

Barbara was stuck on one point. "Narcissa wanted to harm you?"

"No, Draco is sure it was forged. I suspect he knows exactly by whom, which means he knows his father was probably involved."

"I'm so lucky that you fell in love with me again," said Barbara, blinking hard.

He squeezed her tighter to him. "I am fortunate to have someone who loves me with such constancy."

_A/N: No scientist leaves any space unfilled in his log book. If he has to do so, he carefully marks it out, so that it nothing can be falsified in that space later. Therefore, Severus deliberately left himself a clue that he knew he would have to investigate._

_Thank you, readers and reveiwers!_


	26. Discovery

_Disclaimer: JKR's people and world except for a few OCs of mine._

That evening found the Snapes sitting in front of a fire in the back yard again, this time sitting on a single chair that was wide enough for both of them. They occasionally spoke quietly and occasionally shared each other's thoughts. Severus had gone to his office while Poppy was treating Barbara and found that the vial he had seen there did indeed contain memories from their anniversary.

"I should find a way to change the Weasley Twins' Potions OWLs. Those fireworks involved some excellent work."

"Would that be allowed?"

"I don't know if there is a precedent. If I asked Minerva, I'm sure I'd hear from all of the portraits." Severus put his arm around his wife. "I do think we better make those fireworks into a tradition every year."

"Oh?"

"I rather fancy the way they reflect on your face when I'm doing this to you." He proceeded to demonstrate, and took a moment to look at her. "It would appear that firelight reflects nicely, too."

For several minutes the only sounds they made were murmurings and soft sighs. At one point Barbara got a little too exuberant and hurt her sore hand, so they had to stop for a moment.

"Barbara." He maneuvered her around on the chair, pulling her legs over his, so that he could look in her face. "I owe you two apologies today. The first is that I ran to help someone without letting you know what I was doing, on the day I thought I was going to help Narcissa at Spinner's End. The second is that I didn't manage to get the extra protections put around the house on time."

"Well, for the first, I've had to accept that you will probably do a certain amount of it all our lives. I will be very angry every time, mind you, but I will always forgive you. And for the second, we will put up the protections now and everything will be fine. Mr. Malfoy didn't hurt us."

"I didn't think he would actually do any of that. He's always been such a behind the scenes string puller. Draco had thought that his dad might be involved, though. I should have paid better attention to that. Draco asked me to say hello, to you, by the way. You have quite a fan in him."

"As he does in me. You were completely right about him. I only saw the junior Death Eater aspects of his behavior before, but you knew that his heart was not in it."

"You know you have a fan in me, too."

"And it goes without saying that I'm your greatest fan."

* * *

The Saturday morning after classes began again found them lazing around their bedroom at Hogwarts. They were trying to decide whether they really wanted to get up for the day when two owls came to their window. Severus went to get the letters.

"I'm guessing that the Ministry one is for you and the Malfoy one is for me." He handed Barbara one and they both started reading.

Barbara finished hers and looked at her husband, her eyes narrowed. "_That bitch!_" she hissed.

"Language, dear, although I think I know to whom you are referring. She is a prominent subject in this letter as well. Shall we trade?"

They read each other's letters and as they finished, Severus asked, "Is your veritaserum more effective, or mine?"

"That last batch, that we made together, is as potent as anything I've seen. You go get it, I'm going to apprehend a criminal, and then we should meet in Minerva's office."

They dressed quickly, gave directions to the elves for care of the babies, and stepped out of their door. Severus ran toward the stairs while Barbara looked around the hallway, finally seeing what she was looking for.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty... Here, kitty..._Petrificus totalus_!" Her spell hit the cat as it tried to run away and she grabbed it by the scruff of the neck with her left hand, her wand trained upon it with her right. When she got to the gargoyle that marked the Headmistress' office, she stopped and waited for her husband. He arrived a few minutes later.

"Do you have the potion?"

"Yes. Are you sure that's the right cat?"

"It's the same one that has been skulking around our hallway all year, and it tried to get away when I came after it. Besides that, student cats have collars and tags."

"That's fine then." Severus gave the gargoyle the password and the couple went up the stairs and knocked on the door of Headmistress McGonagall.

"Barbara, Severus, are you coming here just to bring me a cat? Barbara, why do you have the cat under a body-bind?"

Barbara answered, "Did you know Professor MacDonald was an animagus?"

Minerva sat down. "Are you sure?"

Barbara held out the cat and put it on the headmistress' desk. "She's been watching us come and go from the hallway of our apartment and at our house in Hogsmeade all year."

"I shouldn't be surprised. That Gryffindor class, hooligans the lot of them, except, well... maybe. How do you come upon this information?"

Severus sat down and motioned his wife to do the same. "We received two letters this morning. Barbara's, from Minister Shacklebolt, tells us that Mary MacDonald was the subject of a hearing after the war was over to determine if she had done anything criminal during the war. They discovered that she was an animagus and that this enabled her to survive the war, in the Malfoy household, of all places. The board found that she should be registered but that otherwise she had done nothing wrong. Clearly, though, there's more to the story, because she's still unregistered and there's all the things she's done here.

"My letter, from Draco Malfoy details how Professor MacDonald found herself at Malfoy Manor at the end of the war, working for the Dark Lord and Lucius Malfoy. It appears that the lady is an accomplished forger. She wrote the note that lured me to the dementors. Lucius also used her talents to create a certain amount of mayhem at Ministry in general and to get the dementors to Spinners End and the other places I've encountered them this year."

"Severus, would you go get Filius? I think he needs to be here." Minerva tossed some floo powder into her fireplace and put her head in. She spoke with someone and then sat back at her desk. Several minutes later, Kingsley Shacklebolt walked out of the fireplace and greeted Barbara. Severus returned with Professor Flitwick. Barbara never took her eyes or her wand off the cat.

Minerva took the cat and put it on a chair. The body bind was wearing off.

"Well, Mary, are you going to transform, or shall I perform the external spell? You are not leaving here until we have the complete story."

In an instant, Mary MacDonald was sitting where the cat had been. "It's all your fault. Every one of you who did your good deeds and left the rest of us to figure it out for ourselves." She hissed and spat this out as if she were still in cat form.

"Why didn't you say something?" asked Barbara.

"When was I supposed to ask? In the middle of the war, or when you two were sneaking into every classroom in the building, just ignoring the cats who watched and saw everything?"

"That's how you knew..." said Barbara.

"Yes, I saw the pair of you everywhere. You have everything and I've lost what little I had."

Severus regarded the witch closely. "I warned you about attacking my wife again."

"I haven't attacked your wife since you hexed me that day."

"No? Trying to seduce her husband behind her back is not an attack? What was the point? What about the fireworks?"

"Your happiness is an insult to me and the memories I have. Plus, I was under instructions to wreck things between you if I could. And you had the gall to _enjoy_ the fireworks!"

"Under orders? From Malfoy?"

Minerva held up a hand. "This will get us nowhere. Severus, I trust you and Barbara brought a certain potion with you?" Severus placed a vial on Minerva's desk. "Then I think we should have a cup of tea and let Mary tell us her story." She conjured a tea set and gave each of the people in her office a cup, adding veritaserum to the cup she gave MacDonald.

"Now, Mary, why don't you begin? I think we deserve to hear the whole truth after the way you have behaved this year."

Mary sipped her tea. Finally she started speaking, in that emotionless, deadpan voice used by those drugged with the truth potion.

_A/N: The next chapter is Mary's story._

_Thank you, readers and reveiwers! Mark Darcy, excessivelyperky, and debjunk have all been most kind._


	27. The Cat's Tale

_Disclaimer: JKR's people and places and mostly her events. An OC who is listening in is mine._

"You should know," started Mary MacDonald, "That Peter Pettigrew wanted, more than anything else, to be a professor here at Hogwarts."

Her audience was surprised. "We aren't asking you about Peter Pettigrew, Mary," said Minister Shacklebolt. We need to know about you and why you've been acting the way you have, in collusion with Lucius Malfoy.

"Oh, but this story is _all_ about Peter Pettigrew," Mary said, "and it's true, Peter wanted to be a teacher here. He would have been a good teacher, too. He _was_ a good teacher. Oh, I know that James and Sirius were much more clever, or would have been if they'd ever bothered to study, and Severus, here, knows probably as much about magic as any wizard or witch alive these days, but Peter could teach.

"It took Peter longer to learn things, but he could pass it on really well once he finally understood it. He had a way of learning the theory and how the spells or potions worked, and then he could break it down and explain it. He was my study partner almost from the day we arrived, and without him I wouldn't have gotten an OWL in Transfiguration.

"I'm not sure how he came to decide to teach me the Animagus Transformation. I think it was something of a lark. Perhaps James and Sirius had been needling him a bit much about being the Lesser Marauder that week. It really got under his skin at times. He suggested it to me during sixth year. Whatever else it was, it helped me understand Transfiguration in a way I hadn't done before and I sailed through the NEWT. It took a couple of months, but we finally succeeded and I became a cat.

"Peter was always hung up on Lily Evans, like all the boys, and I kept hoping Sirius Black would notice me, like half the girls, so we never really thought about dating each other, much. That night, though, when I completed the transformation, Peter decided to take me out to the shrieking shack through the tunnel under the willow. We went just because we could, to celebrate. We got there and transformed back to ourselves and then it just happened. One minute we were congratulating each other and sharing a friendly hug, the next minute we were ripping each other's clothes off.

"My poor cowardly sweetheart never wanted to go through the mayhem that would come if he told his family about his muggle born girlfriend, so we never told anyone. He just wanted to graduate, do some advanced study and work, and then come back here to teach. I think the Marauders would have felt differently about it. I wish he had told them. It would have made all the difference, if he had told. It's odd that he knew so many of their secrets but never trusted them with his own.

"Instead, he contented himself by bringing me all over Hogwarts, to the places he had gone with his friends. We spent quite a few nights at the Quidditch stadium, and in the Forest, and in bad weather we went to the Shrieking Shack again. He was careful to explain that we couldn't do anything during the time of the full moon and that I needed to stay in the tower on those nights. He only told me about Remus Lupin's condition after we left the school.

"We graduated and got jobs, and after a year or two we got married... secretly, of course. We planned to let everyone know all about it after He-who-must-not-be-named was gone. What a stupid plan that was! Meanwhile, we had a nice enough apartment in a dodgy section of London. Then I got pregnant and we were scared and happy at the same time. We finally decided we would tell Peter's mother and accept whatever rained down after that.

"I did something horribly foolish the night we were supposed to meet with his mother. Peter was late coming home and when I heard a knock on the door, I assumed it was him, so I just opened it without checking, first. It was Avery and Mulciber, the thugs who tortured me at school. I forgot every defensive spell Peter had drilled into me and they brought me... somewhere, I don't know where.

"That's where I saw _him_ for the first time. Oh, he was still human enough, then, if you could get past the red eyes and the features that didn't seem to be quite right for his face. He _knew_. He called me Mrs. Pettigrew and he knew about the baby and he told me that Peter was going to be one of his new associates. I told him I didn't believe it. He somehow made me sit in a chair near a fireplace and put a spell on me so that I couldn't move.

"An hour or two later, the Lestrange brothers dragged in poor Peter. They had been torturing him, but he hadn't given in. I could see the defiance still in his face, and I was so proud! Until he saw me sitting there, and then his face just fell. He just gave in, at that point. What could he do? What would anyone have done?

"I must admit that for me it was a moment of triumph. For once, he chose _me_ over his friends. _My_ life was more important to him than they were. It was the greatest moment I would ever know. They put the Dark Mark on him and told him what they wanted him to find out and then someone brought us home.

"My poor Peter! He worked during the day, and then did tasks for both the Order and the Death Eaters and came home so scared and worried. He couldn't ever figure out how to get out of it. If James and Sirius had known, they would have figured out some way to protect us, how to get out of it. If Dumbledore had known... But Peter was so scared and ashamed at that point, he couldn't tell. There were days when I didn't know how he got dressed in the morning, he was so paralyzed by fear and worry.

"Then our beautiful baby came. A little girl, with sandy brown hair and blue eyes. Peter finally thought he could figure this one out. We had her raised by another family, in a different part of the country. To this day, I don't think she knows we exist, but we were able to see her when she was a student here at Hogwarts."

"Lavender Brown," said McGonagall.

"How could you guess?" asked Mary.

"She looks like both of you, and she has many of her father's mannerisms," answered Flitwick.

"I suppose that's true." Mary smiled faintly with motherly pride. "So Lavender was safe, and Peter and I thought that we would be able to fight the Dark Lord just by Peter being his usually inept self, but then Sirius thought of that ingenious, horrible, _damned_ plan to trick the Death Eaters... that of making Peter the secret keeper. Peter tried to warn them off. He even said that he didn't _want_ to do it. Did they listen? No, they insisted and paid the price.

"But so did Peter. The Death Eaters knew when the _fidelius_ charm had been done and came for him. How delighted the Dark Lord was to discover that he held not someone who might know where the secret keeper was, but the actual secret keeper! They held my husband until they were sure his information was accurate and then let him go and you know what happened in the few days after that.

"I spent the next several years sort of drifting, getting jobs in shops and tea rooms, occasionally living as a cat. Then I received an owl, from Peter. He was at Hogwarts, as the pet rat of the Weasley family. I left what I was doing and moved to Hogsmeade to be near him. He would wait until the boys in the dorm were asleep and then sneak out to be with me. How we laughed over the fact that those boys thought he was lazy because he slept all day.

"A few years after that, Lavender arrived at Hogwarts and sometimes Peter would sneak me in. We would sit near her bed, as a rat and a cat, just watching her sleep and admiring the beautiful young woman she was turning into. It was almost a pleasant life, or as pleasant as we would ever know together.

"Then Sirius Black had to escape from Azkaban and ruin things again. Peter was frantic that Sirius and Remus would be able to compare notes and figure the whole thing out, which they did, of course, but Severus here actually helped to make sure it didn't matter in the face of the world."

"Not my proudest moment," that man put in. "I was so sure that Black was to blame for the Potters' deaths that I wouldn't listen to reason. I just wanted him dead, or kissed, and when it didn't happen, I was furious."

"Well, I'm grateful in a way, Severus, because it eventually gave me more time with Peter, instead of landing him in Azkaban. But at the time, I was mad at you all because Peter ran to Albania of all places and we saw each other only once or twice until the Dark Lord came back. I know that I should have hoped for the Dark Lord to be defeated finally and completely, but I was a wife who missed her husband. My best hope for the life I wanted was that the Dark Lord would finally win and Peter and I would be granted the opportunity to live quietly somewhere.

"It was catch as catch can for a while, while Peter was _his_ constant attendant. We could only have a few minutes together from time to time. _He_ knew all about me, of course, but enjoyed the power of making Peter ask to spend time with me, or even just to sleep. The promises that monster would make about power and might, without ever mentioning the cost until it was too late... for Peter it was almost all cost. That summer at Spinner's End was heavenly for both of us, Severus, by the way."

Severus looked at her, speculatively. "So you were the cat he used to play with on the back step... There was always something disturbing about the way he petted that cat... of course you weren't just a cat... and the noises that would come from his bedroom at night... It all makes better sense, now."

Mary continued. "There's not much more to it. We ended up at Malfoy Manor when the Dark Lord moved there. Both of the male Malfoys quickly figured out my animagus secret and inveigled me into their machinations. Draco figured out that I can forge signatures and short letters and had me write notes to his teachers from his mother. Lucius didn't have much use for me at the time, but made it clear that he would collect something from me, eventually.

"Malfoy Manor is not a happy place at the best of times and in those days it was horrible. At least Peter and I were able to be together, until the day that awful hand attacked him. If he had only transformed, I think he might have survived it, but he was never good at thinking on his feet. It's not exactly a strength either of us had, I guess.

"Since the war, Malfoy has been having me act as a sort of secretary, I suppose, writing up memos that have caused trouble in the Ministry, or obtaining permission to use dementors for his own private uses. In exchange, he pulled the strings that got me the job here at Hogwarts, where I teach instead of my husband for whom this was a life ambition. Malfoy has been forcing me to act his spy, as well, telling him of the comings and goings of his past good friend and current enemy. I was also told to find a way to break the two of you up. I think he hoped that Snape would still fall in with his plans if Merrill were out of the picture.

"So there it is. I'm part of the guilty treachery that cost the Potters their lives, but saved me and my little girl. I'm part of the treachery that bedevils the Ministry even now, and part of the recent threat against Snape, here. Go ahead and judge me. I've already judged myself, and all of the people who contributed to the way my life has turned out." With that she took another sip of her tea and was silent.

_A/N: I could never comprehend how Peter Pettigrew could be quite so craven, and this is an exercise in figuring that out. Maybe Peter had more to lose than he let on. I think this chapter is mostly cannon-compliant._

_Thank you, readers and reviewers!_


	28. Madness and Serenity

_Disclaimer: JKR's world and all. A few OC's are mine._

Mary MacDonald finished her story and sat back in her chair with an eerie, cheerful look in her face. Kingsley cleared his throat. "Some aurors will be arriving soon, I believe. We need to bring MacDonald to the Ministry for questioning. She clearly knows a great deal about what Malfoy was doing."

Minerva raised her hand. "A visit to St. Mungo's is in order, Kingsley. Possibly, if she knew about Harry Potter's experiences with Peter, and the life debts involved..."

Mary suddenly leaned forward and grabbed Barbara by the hand. "You understand, don't you? You have a husband, and children. You would do anything to protect them. Wouldn't you have done the same things? You are so fierce about protecting your own. You know you would lie, cheat, or kill in order to do it. You would betray anyone or anything. Wouldn't you?"

Barbara just stared at the other woman, unable to speak or pull away. She didn't think she could do such things, but with the full force of Mary's venomous anguish pushed upon her, she didn't know what she would do. She tried to shake her head but found she couldn't move at all.

"Let go." Snape had been watching the interplay between the two witches and was worried about the look coming into his wife's eyes. "Let go." He stood and pushed MacDonald back into her chair, then knelt next to his wife, holding her hand. She wouldn't look into his eyes but kept looking at MacDonald, who sat in her chair with a malevolent smile on her face.

The aurors arrived and in the disruption of the moment, Severus lifted his wife out of her chair and led her from the room and out of the tower, whispering in her ear. "Let's go back. The babies will want you."

She shook her head. "Would I do that? She says I would do that. I can't go near the babies. I will contaminate them. I need to go somewhere far, far away."

A door appeared in the hallway. Severus led Barbara to the door and into the Room of Requirement. They found themselves in what appeared to be a beach cottage. Through a window, they could see palm trees swaying and hear ocean waves crashing on the beach.

Severus pulled his wife within his arms and said, quietly, "You're nothing like that. You wouldn't make choices like that."

"I don't know. Wouldn't I?"

"Is there any circumstance in which you would sell out Kingsley? Or Minerva?"

"I sold out everyone. When I left with my parents. All I could think of was keeping them safe."

"You didn't do anything you knew would be deliberately harmful when you left. How many did you smuggle out of the country before then?"

"It doesn't matter. I put my family first."

"Only after you helped others. Sure, your whole plan was to help your parents, but you planned it so that you could help as many others as possible."

Barbara's eyes had lost that empty look and tears were now running down her face. Severus pulled her over to a couch and sat down with his arms around her, taking the needle out of her hair and stroking the brown tangle that fell around her shoulders. He said, "I have a lot more in common with Wormtail than you do, perhaps I'm guilty. I'm the one who alerted the Dark Lord to the prophecy that made him target the Potters."

"Oh, no, you're a hero! As soon as you realized what you had done, you went to Dumbledore! You worked against Voldemort ever since."

"And you worked closely with Kingsley and Mad Eye, and the others. Think of all the good things you've done. Think how hard you've worked to make things better since the war. Think of all you've done for me."

"You're right, of course. I don't know what's come over me."

"I do. When she grabbed your hand, you absorbed some of her rage. She was trying to put her own guilt onto you. When she finally let go, she had a pleased look in her eye. She was trying, one last time, to damage anything good that she could. She is possessed with a certain kind of madness, which she wanted to pass on to you. You take so much onto yourself. Let me comfort you, Barbara. Share the distress with me."

He pulled her fully into his arms and kissed the tears as they slid down her cheeks. He could feel her body soften within his arms and her arms go around his waist. After a while the tears stopped and they simply held each other.

A while later, perhaps minutes or perhaps longer, Barbara lifted her face and captured Severus' lips with her own. He kissed her back and she sighed with pleasure as she pressed herself against him and kissed him harder.

"It's not really the place or time, my dear..."

"It is a perfectly fine time, and isn't there a bed behind that screen? Love me, Severus. Share your strength and courage and sanity with me."

There was indeed a bed behind a rattan screen on one side of the room. Severus lifted his wife from the couch and carried her around the screen. He lowered her onto the bed and sat next to her. Barbara kissed him, feverishly, but he held her face in his hands and slowed her down. "Sh, love, we have plenty of time." Holding her hands, he kissed her gently, guiding her head to the pillows.

They lay together for a long while, kissing, exchanging their very souls, until Barbara realized that Severus was unfastening her robes. Soon they were both undressed and she felt the most gentle of caresses along her body. Her sighs were lost to the lips that kept hers captive, until his lips followed his hands, allowing her to sigh and murmur with delight. She couldn't remember a time when he had taken such infinite care of her, as if he feared to hurt her.

After a while Severus reclaimed Barbara's lips and hands and she abandoned herself to the intoxication that was her husband.

Some time later, Barbara came back to herself. She was clasped in Severus' arms. He was kissing her forehead and running a hand through her hair. "...and with my body, I thee worship..." she murmured.

"Yes, my love?"

"From our wedding vows. I didn't quite understand what it meant, but I think, Professor, you have just given me the practical demonstration. You have made me feel exquisite. Severus, to say that I love you doesn't begin to describe what I feel right now."

In response, he leaned over her and kissed her, then leaned back and pulled her close again, whispering his love for her into her hair.

After a while Severus rolled over and looked at her. "Barbara, I suspect there are two people downstairs who are feeling as though they would like some time with their mum. Are you ready to go back to our apartment?"

"Hmmm, if we must."

* * *

Headmistress McGonagall spoke with the faculty members during dinner the next night. The official story was that Professor MacDonald was required to go to London for an inquiry. Since final exams would start the next week, her absence was not a significant problem. However, all of the professors would need to help cover her exams.

Along with all of the teachers, Barbara and Severus nodded their heads and agreed to help. They were a bit distracted, though, since each had one of the twins in one arm and was trying to eat with a free hand. The twins attracted a great deal of attention in the Great Hall, since they rarely came to meal times, but they had woken from their naps and their parents did not want to leave them. At almost four months of age they had stopped looking like newborns and had filled out to the cute baby age. They knew how to use their dark eyes to flirt and smile at anyone who looked at them. They were dressed in matching rompers with the slogan, "My other house is Slytherin."

Barbara looked at the Gryffindor table. "I'm a little worried about Anthony. He seems a bit peaked."

"I'm sure he's just tired from studying so hard for his OWLs."

"Maybe."

"Did you get the one gift out of storage?"

"Yes. I nearly caught it from Bitsy for 'working' when I had a sore hand, but I got it and he should have received it this morning."

"Are they coming up after dinner, then?"

"Yes."

The entire family gathered in the Snapes' sitting room after dinner to wish Howard a happy birthday. They had a wonderful evening of helping with the twins, playing games, and teasing Howard about being of age, now. There was some family business to cover as well.

Barbara started. "We've invited you to join the family a little at a time. Do you know how many kids without good homes there still are?"

Anthony said, "There's the O'Hares, Tommy and Pat. They're first and second year Gryffindors. Their uncle is going to retire from the Kenmare Kestrels' staff and take care of them, but he has to finish this year out or he will lose a lot of money on his contract."

"There's Becky Fawcett in Ravenclaw, too," said Carissa. "She's a fourth year, like me."

"Is everyone else in good shape?" asked Barbara.

Howard answered, "A lot of folks noticed what you were doing and a lot of kids found homes this winter."

Severus found his wife's hand and squeezed it, whispering into her ear, "Your idea took root in the hearts and minds of other people, my dear. Something else we can chalk to your credit." Barbara blushed and he continued aloud. "We don't want anyone left out this summer, but three will make this family a great deal larger, even if two won't be permanent. What say you?"

"I want to do it," said Alice. "There is plenty to go around, isn't there?"

Aunt Barbara got up to hug her. "Bless you, there's plenty for all of us. Can you all handle it, with house allegiances and everything?"

Anthony spoke for all of them. "We're all Hogwarts, aren't we? And beyond that, when we're home, we belong to Snape House."

Barbara and Severus looked at each other with blinking eyes. The motion was considered carried.

Howard stayed behind when the other kids left. "I wanted to thank you particularly, for the watch."

Severus shook his head. "It was from your parents, Howard. We found it in the boxes of personal effects that came from your home, and have kept it for you on their behalf."

"From my parents?"

Barbara nodded. "Remember to honor their memory."

"Can I ask something?"

"Of course," said Barbara and Severus together.

"Have you planned at all to adopt us, officially?"

Severus looked into the hopeful eyes for a moment before answering. "Yes, we discussed it at length, but we decided not to do so, for several reasons. The most important of the reasons is that we don't want to take credit for what your parents have done. They have raised fine young men and women and while we hope to guide you into the best way to follow their footsteps and realize their hopes, we don't want to let anyone forget that you have all come from great families in their own right."

Howard thought about it for a while and nodded his head. "I see what you mean." They hugged him and wished him a happy birthday again. Barbara kissed and mothered him as much as any newly of-age young wizard could stand and he went off toward the Slytherin common room.

Severus put his arm around his wife as they watched him go. "He's so much older than when he first became part of the family, already," Barbara said. "It's only been a year."

She sighed. "Severus, am I that much older since last year?"

"You are not a growing boy. You're my ageless wife."

He kissed her hair and tugged her back into their room so that he could shut the door.

"What about Anthony?"

Barbara grimmaced. "He seems fine. I guess you're right that he's just overtired from studying."

"What about Barbara?"

"What about her?"

"Is she over tired from a busy weekend?"

"What do you have in mind?"

He looked into her eyes. Her eyes sparkled in return.

"No," she said, "I'm not too tired for that."

_A/N: Well, from here it's pretty much raising kids and living life, so I don't see myself updating much if at all. I know what happens next, but it's more of a family story than the sort of adventure Harry Potter stories should be. I have an epilogue that sort of points to where I see things going, and I may post it as the last chapter here, or a one shot so as to leave space for further chapters in this story._

_Thank you, everyone who has read this, and everyone who has reviewed. Mark Darcy, excessivelyperky, and debjunk have been most kind and helpful._


	29. A Special Event

_Disclaimer: JKR's world and people, of course, except for my OCs...quite a few of them actually, by this point._

Twenty-four years later:

They were dancing in their garden. Severus was wearing black dress robes, trimmed in silver, and Barbara was in a silver gown that followed her slim form to her knees, where the skirt became full. They wore some silver in their hair, as well, thanks to the passage of time, which also granted some lines to their faces. To those who watched, however, they simply looked ageless and deeply in love.

Barbara could never have danced with anyone else as she did with her husband. When she was in his arms, she simply looked in his eyes and knew what she was supposed to do. She followed his lead where ever it took her, knowing that he would take good care of her. This he had done as much in their lives as on the dance floor.

Their children were scattered around the party and the garden. Victoria and Nicolas, visiting from London where they worked as healers, sat at a table watching their parents dance. They always kept their father's dark looks with pale, thin faces, pronounced noses, and dark eyes. Victoria wore her dark hair down to her waist and Nicolas to his shoulders. Both were dressed in dark green robes. Green had been their favorite color since they even knew there was a Slytherin house. So far, Barbara sometimes despaired of either finding a mate, but she knew that she and her husband had been late bloomers and let it go. It wasn't for lack of opportunity, Barbara knew, both had plenty of admirers at school; they just hadn't found the right people yet.

Richard, the politician of the family, was working the party with his fiancée, Angela, draped over one arm. They planned to be married in the fall. Angela wasn't the brightest girl Severus and Barbara had ever taught, but she and Richard loved each other with the fierce loyalty that only two Hufflepuffs could muster and his parents were justified in having every hope for their future happiness. They were a striking couple. Angela was quite blond and had blue eyes, while Richard had his father's dark hair. Severus' wish for soft brown eyes and dimples had come to pass in this son, and Barbara had known several anxious moments over various girls throwing themselves at her son while he was a student.

Twenty year old Brendon had also brought a date, but his parents didn't think it was very serious. He twirled his date around the dance floor, using his father's dark eyes and perhaps his smooth voice to his advantage with the starry eyed girl. He, too, had a job at Ministry, as suited his Hufflepuff sensibilities.

The others were at a table with recent Hogwarts students, mostly Shacklebolts, Weasleys and Potters. Alistor and Horace had just graduated the year before and were now studying advanced Potions like their parents had. It was expected that they would teach at Hogwarts in a few years. Both Ravenclaws like their mother, they also looked the most like her out of all the children. Evan was a sixth year student and looked almost exactly like his father. It had been a big surprise when the sorting hat had announced "Griffindor" when he had been an entering student. Bertha, the youngest, was a fourth year Ravenclaw with big brown eyes like her mother and long wavy black hair. She was her father's darling and had half the school staff wrapped around her finger.

Two men stood along side of the dance floor and conferred with each other. They watched as the song ended. The anniversary couple stayed on the dance floor and then started dancing to the next.

"They'll do that all night until they just apparate away on us. Remember their 20th? If we don't simply stop the band, they'll dance until they decide it's time to retire, and then we'll never get to toast them," said Howard Prewett to the former Minister of Magic.

Howard looked toward his wife, Carissa. She smiled and walked over to where he was. Their eldest was at the table of students while the three younger ones were running through the garden with Alice's three. Howard caught Alice's eye. She and her husband, Dennis, walked over to where Howard was now standing with Carissa and Kingsley. Seeing the others gathering, Rebecca joined them. She was dating a Gringott's representative who currently worked outside the country and was unable to attend this evening.

Kingsley smiled indulgently. "Let me take care of the band and find Monica. You gather all the "kids" up and prepare for your toast."

And so it was that several minutes later the Snapes were standing on the floor, finally not dancing, with everyone looking at them. Someone thrust wine glasses into their hands.

Howard stood in front and said, "Excuse me, everyone. It is perhaps the right of Victoria or Nicolas to make this speech, but they have asked me to do it. First of all, I want to thank everyone for coming. This is a special day for those of us who are members of the Snape family, and we are glad to have so many who which to celebrate with us.

"Twenty-five years ago, my sister Alice and I attended a very special wedding. We weren't invited for any reason other than the fact that we had no place else to be over the Easter Holiday. That was the last holiday we ever had that problem, because we were asked to join the family before the summer vacation started. Uncle Severus and Aunt Barbara had already started to give us siblings, as Victoria and Nicolas were born early the next year. Over the course of that first year, our sweet Carissa," here Howard looked down and hugged his wife to him, "Anthony and Rebecca joined the family as well.

"After Victoria and Nicolas came Richard, Bernard, and Eileen whom we barely met before she left us, Alistor and Horace, Evan, and Bertha. Our family has known its shares of joy and sorrow, but we have never lacked for love. Those of us who have been privileged to be close to them know that there is a deep love between Aunt Barbara and Uncle Severus, which they have always shared with the rest of us.

"When I asked Uncle Severus if I might marry Carissa, he told me yes but that I didn't deserve her. He said it was nothing personal, but that any father feels that way about his little girl. He then told me that his own father-in-law made the same communication to him, too. Uncle Severus was right about Carissa, and Aunt Barbara's father may have been right about her, as well. As we saw, at times such as when Anthony was so ill, she is the sweetest and tenderest of mothers." Barbara kissed her fingers to Howard. "At the same time, Uncle Severus has been a very kind and firm guide to our lives. I cannot imagine that more loving parents exist."

"I would like to sum up by thanking these two people who have brought us here tonight. Thank you Uncle Severus and Aunt Barbara, for falling in love and marrying each other right after the war and for showing us how life can be." He lifted his glass and all present followed suit. "To Severus and Barbara Snape!"

After a moment, all eyes looked toward the Snapes. "Thank you, Howard," said Severus, gruffly. He cleared his throat. "I would just like to make one or two comments of my own. Twenty six years ago, in the aftermath of a horrible battle, indeed on the bloodstained battleground, a man with nothing but regret met a woman with nothing but hope. Those two formed a friendship, which rapidly progressed to romance and marriage. It has very much been a learning experience for both of us as we have had to adjust to a world in which we did not have to look over our shoulders constantly. Many of you have been our teachers in love, and perseverance, and many other good qualities. We are most grateful to you all. Thank you, everyone, for coming, and please enjoy the party."

Severus signaled the band to start playing again, and thrust his and his wife's wineglasses into the hands of a passing house elf. As they began dancing again, someone set off some fireworks in a far field. "They will go all night," whispered Severus into Barbara's ear.

"Are you saying it's time to leave now?"

He looked around. "We'll need to wait for a while, at least. Too many people are still watching us, and you're quite noticeable in this dress."

"I thought you liked this dress."

"I like everything about it. I like how it shimmers against your skin, how it shows off your fine form to perfection, and the way that now and then it even gives me a glimpse of something I hope to see soon." He looked into his wife's eyes. "I love to make you blush under fireworks. Your face is glowing."

"I love you, Headmaster."

"I love you, Mrs. Snape."

They finished dancing to that song and another started. Looking around, he noticed that most of the party guests were occupied with their own doings. "Are you ready?"

"Anytime"

In a maneuver he had practiced at other parties, Severus spun his wife around as he danced, a little more quickly than the music called for. In this way he apparated them both away. They arrived at the front gates of the school. Barbara noticed that there were as many fireworks in front of them as behind them.

"Are there more fireworks on the school grounds?"

"It's for the students to enjoy. I also thought we could try snogging near the willow tree."

"Of course, we must follow tradition." She smiled. "Lead on."

After spending quite a delightful time near the willow tree, watching fireworks over the lake or rather pretending to watch them, they walked hand in hand to the Headmaster's office. As they entered that room, Severus said, "You know, Barbara, there's one desk in this castle we have never used." He lifted her onto the Headmaster's desk and kissed her.

She held his face in her hands and looked into his eyes. "The portraits. You know it will be all over wizarding Britain."

"You mean no one in wizarding Britain knows that we're married and enjoy intimate moments together? Surely all of our children will have clued them in?" He slid his hands along her ribcage.

"Don't you think it would seem rather... improper... if it were known we did something on your desk?"

"Not in the least, but if you wish." He waved his wand in a circle around the room and a dark cover went over every portrait.

"Hey!" came from several of the portraits.

"_Silencio_! _Muffliato_!" All was then silent around the desk, until Headmaster Snape started unzipping his wife's gown.

_

* * *

_

A/N: OK, so giving him the Headmaster job may have been a bit of a stretch, but I'm writing a fairy tale here. The whole thing was a stretch.

_Thanks again to the reviewers who have been so forthcoming with advice and kind words. Mark Darcy, excessivelyperky, and debjunk have been most kind in this regard. I'm still not sure how to do any updates on this story. We shall see where it takes me._


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